LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

Class 


PICTURES  OF  RHODE  ISLAND 
IN  THE  PAST. 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 

THE  EAST  INDIA  TRADE  OF 

PROVIDENCE  1787  TO  1807 


PICTURES  OF  RHODE  ISLAND 
IN  THE  PAST 


1642-1833 


TRAVELLERS   AND   OBSERVERS 


EDITED   BY 

GERTRUDE   SELWYN  KIMBALL 


PROVIDENCE  R.  I. 

PRESTON  AND  ROUNDS  CO. 

1900 


COPYRIGHT  1899 

BY 
GERTRUDE  SELWYN  KIMBALL 


PRESS  OF 

THE  NEW  ERA  PRINTING  COMPANY, 
LANCASTER,  PA. 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


1642.  Thomas  Lechford,  Plain  Dealing.        .         .         .       1 

1660.  Samuel  Maverick,  Description  of  New  England.       2 
1665.  Nicolls,  Carr,  Cartwright  and  Maverick,  Report 
to  the  King.       .         .         .         .         .         -.         .         .3 

1668.  Koger  Williams,  Letter  to  the  Town  of  Provi- 
dence.       .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         • '     5, 

1680.  Peleg  Sanford,  Answer  to  the  Board  of  Trade.  6 
1685.  Edward  Randolph,  Articles  of  Misdemeanor.  .  11 
1690.  N.  N.,  Short  Account  of  the  Present  State  of 

New  England.   . 13 

1699.  Earl  of  Bellomont,  Report  on  Rhode  Island.       .     15 
1702.  Joseph  Dudley,  Letter  to  the  Lords  of  Trade.    .     18 
1702.  Cotton  Mather,  Magnalia.  .        ''.'.•        .         .21 
1704.  Sarah  Knight,  Journal.       .         .         .  -      .         .23 

1708.  Samuel  Cranston,  Answer  to  the  Lords  of  Trade.     27 
1708.  Robert  Quary,  Letter  to  the  Lords  of  Trade.       .     29 
1708.  Samuel  Cranston,  Letter  to  the  Lords  of  Trade.     30 
1729.   George  Berkeley,  Letter  to  a  Friend.         .         .     34 
1732.  George  Berkeley,  Sermon  before  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel.         .         .         .         .36 

1739.  John  Callender,  Historical  Discourse.          .         .38 
1739.  The  Modern   History.         .         .'         .         .         .40 
1741.  William    Chandler,    Boundary    Commissioners' 
Journal.     ...         .         .    ,  .         .         .41 

1741.  John  Checkley,  Notitia  Parochialis.    .         .         .46 

1747.  Daniel  Neal,  History  of  New  England.       .  "      .     48 

1753.  James  MacSparran,  America  Dissected.      .         .     49 

1754.  Jacob  Bailey,  Memoir.         .         .         .         .         .55 

1759.  Andrew  Burnaby,  Travels.          ...         .         .56 

1765.  Robert     Rogers,     Concise     Account    of    North 

America.  .     60 


225349 


VI  TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 

1769.  Benjamin  West,  New  England  Town  and  Coun- 
try Almanack.   .         .         .         ...         .         .63 

1770.  A.  Cluny,  American  Traveller.  .  .         .64 

1771.  Morgan  Edwards,  Materials  for  a  History  of  the 
Baptists  in  Khode  Island.  .         .         .         .         .66 

1771.  Ezra  Stiles,  Diary.       .         .         .         .         .  .72 

1772.  James  Manningy  Letter.       ...         .  .73 

1773.  Daniel  Horsmanden,  Letter.        .         .         .  .74 

1773.  Hugh  Finlay,  Journal .75 

1775.  Elkanah  Watson,  Memories.       .         .         .  .78 

1780.  Claude  Blanchard,  Journal 80 

1780.  Count  Axel  de  Fersen,  Letters.            .         .  .85 

1780.  Marquis  de  Chastellux,  Travels.          .         .  .87 

1780.  Samuel  Hopkins,  Autobiography.        .          .          .89 

1781.  Samuel  Hopkins,  Letter.     .         .         .         .         .91 

1781.  Count  Cromot  du  Bourg,  Journal.       '.         .         .91 

1781.  Abbe  Robin,  New  Travels.  ,         .         .         .95 

1782.  Prince  de  Broglie,  Journal.          .         .        ...        .   100 

1782.  Count  Mathieu  Dumas,  Memoirs.         .         .         .   105 

1783.  Samuel  Davis,  Journal.       .  .         .         .106 
1787.  Hector  St.  John  Crevecoeur,  Letters  of  an  Ameri- 
can Farmer.       .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .   108 

1787.  Manasseh  Cutler,  Diary 112 

1788.  J.  P.  Brissot  de  Warville,  New  Travels.     .         .113 

1792.  Jedidiah  Morse,  American  Geography.         .         .  116 

1793.  James  Freeman,  Remarks  on  the  American  Uni- 
versal Geography.      .         ....          .          .          .  120 

1794.  John  Drayton,  Travels 121 

1795.  "Citoyen  Adoptif  de  Pennsylvanie,"   Reponse.   124 
1795.  John  Pierce,  Diary.     .         .         .         .         .         .125 

1795.  W.    Winterbotham,    Historical,     Geographical, 

etc.,  View. 127 

1795.  Duke  de  la  Rochefoucauld-Lian court,  Travels.  131 
1801.  Josiah  Quincy,  Journal.       .         .         .         .         .   148 

1806.  John  Melish,  Travels.          .....   153 

1807.  Edward  Augustus  Kendall,  Travels.  .         .      ,    .   156 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS.  VI 1 

1810.  Henry  A.  Howland,  Reminiscences.    .         .  .  159 

1812.  Henry  C.  Knight,  Reminiscences.        .         .  .  162 

1818.  Henry  Fearon,  Narrative  of  a  Journey.       .  .  164 

1821.  Timothy  Dwight,  Travels 166 

1822.  Benjamin  Waterhouse,  Letter  to  Jefferson.  .  169 
1826.  Anne  Royall,  Sketches  of  Life  and  Manners.  .  170 
1833.  Thomas  Hamilton,  Men  and  Manners.        .  .  173 


INTRODUCTION. 


Nothing  is  more  characteristic  of  American  life,  in 
the  present  or  in  the  past,  than  the  rapidity  with  which 
the  face  of  the  country  is  transformed  by  the  hand  of 
man.  Wheatfields  and  orchards  stand  now  where  ten 
years  ago  were  only  the  prairie  or  the  forest.  The 
mission  of  American  mankind  (a  mission  more  inspir- 
ing and  more  ideal  than  we  are  apt  to  suspect)  has  been 
"to  go  up  against  the  land  and  possess  it,"  and  trans- 
form it.  And  yet,  especially  here  in  New  England, 
how  much  remains  from  decade  to  decade  unchanged  ! 
That  strain  of  conservatism  in  the  American  blood, 
which  jostles  so  oddly  with  its  audacious  energy  and 
enterprise,  has  preserved  for  us,  in  these  older  com- 
munities, many  of  our  material  landmarks  and  still 
more  of  our  traits  of  character.  Very  likely  it  is  this 
mingling  of  change  and  of  permanence  which  appeals 
to  us  with  so  constant  a  charm  in  old  descriptions  of 
New  England  or  any  of  its  regions.  When  we  come 
across  them  in  our  reading,  we  are  quickly  interested 
to  see  how  much,  in  the  scenes  which  are  familiar  to 
us,  is  the  product  of  change,  how  much  has  come  down 
to  us  unaltered  from  earlier  days.  Most  of  us  readers 
of  books  who  dwell  in  Rhode  Island  have  had  the 
pleasure  of  encountering  a  few  such  descriptions  of  its 
former  appearance  and  character.  Miss  Kimball  has 
had  the  happy  thought  of  extending  and  giving  per- 

ix 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

manence  to  our  pleasure  by  making  a  comprehensive 
collection  of  such  descriptions.  It  is  not  unlikely  that 
even  the  expert  student  of  Rhode  Island  history  will 
be  surprised  that  she  has  found  so  many.  Certainly 
they  are  from  sources  most  varied  in  character,  and 
show  us  Rhode  Island,  or  Providence,  or  Newport,  at 
many  periods  and  from  many  points  of , view.  Some  of 
their  writers  are  genuine  Rhode  Islanders,  governors 
perhaps,  like  Sandford  and  Cranston,  giving  the  home 
government  information,  not  uncolored  with  patriotic 
purpose,  respecting  the  colony.  Some,  though  at  the 
time  of  writing  residents  of  Rhode  Island,  look  upon 
it  with  the  eyes  of  strangers — the  kindly  eyes  of  good 
Dean  Berkeley,  or  the  indignant  orbs  of  the  virtuous 
MacSparran.  Some  of  our  witnesses  are  clergymen, 
some  soldiers.  Some  are  geographers,  like  Dr.  Jedidiah 
Morse.  Some  come  upon  official  business,  governors 
like  Bellomont  and  Dudley  striving  to  maintain  order 
and  the  rights  of  the  Crown ;  Capt.  Chandler  survey- 
ing boundaries,  Hugh  Finlay  inspecting  post-offices, 
Chief- Justice  Horsmanden  seeking  the  destroyers  of 
the  Gaspee.  Mather  the  Puritan,  Morgan  Edwards 
the  Baptist  statistician,  Robin  the  Catholic  abbe,  all 
have  here  their  place  and  their  right  to  be  heard.  An 
especially  interesting  group  is  that  of  the  French 
officers  who  came  with  Rochambeau,  and  whose  ami- 
able views  of  republican  America  were  not  without 
their  influence  in  a  later  Revolution.  Most  interesting 
and  instructive  of  all,  perhaps,  are  those  who  travelled 
through  Rhode  Island  simply  for  the  sake  of  travel- 
ling, from  Madam  Sarah  Knight,  the  Boston  school- 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

mistress,  to  President  D  wight  and  the  Duke  of  La- 
Rochefoucauld-Liancourt. 

Miss  Kimball  has  made  no  effort  to  suppress  criti- 
cisms of  Rhode  Island.  To  see  ourselves  as  others  see 
us  is  recommended  to  us  all  as  salutary,  and  certainly  is 
always  entertaining.  At  this  distance  of  time  we  can 
listen  with  equal  complacency  and  equal  interest  to  the 
admirer  of  Rhode  Island,  to  her  detractor,  and  even  to 
her  "  candid  friend."  Doubtless  many  readers  will 
think  the  expressions  of  opinion  respecting  the  in- 
habitants of  Rhode  Island  quite  as  good  reading  as 
those  passages  which  show  us  the  ancient  aspects  of 
country  and  town. 

The  plan  pursued  by  Miss  Kimball  has  been  to  re- 
print the  texts  exactly,  copying,  in  cases  where  there 
are  several  editions  of  a  book,  from  the  earliest  acces- 
sible edition  in  which  her  extract  is  contained.  The 
extracts  are  arranged  in  a  chronological  order,  the  date 
assigned  to  each  being  that  of  the  year  in  which  it  was 
written  rather  than  that  in  which  it  was  published,  if 
the  two  are  known  to  differ.  To  each  piece  she  has 
prefixed  a  short  heading,  intended  to  show  who  the 
author  was,  what  was  the  point  of  view  from  which  he 
looked  at  Rhode  Island,  or  under  what  circumstances 
he  wrote.  The  source  whence  the  text  is  derived  is 
scrupulously  stated,  for  Miss  Kimball  has  desired  that 
the  book  should  be,  as  I  am  sure  it  will  be,  of  use  and 
value  to  careful  historical  students,  as  well  as  a  source 
of  entertainment  to  those  who  love  to  read  Rhode 
Island  history  "  with  their  feet  on  the  fender." 

J.  FRANKLIN  JAMESON. 


PREFACE. 


Many  of  the  volumes  examined  in  the  work  of  pre- 
paring this  little  book  have,  necessarily,  been  somewhat 
scattered  and  difficult  of  access,  and  it  gives  me  pleas- 
ure to  take  advantage  of  this  opportunity  to  thank 
those  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  assistance  in  this 
work  of  preparation.  Much  valuable  material  was 
found  in  the  John  Carter  Brown  Library,  in  this  city, 
and  the  kind  courtesy  of  the  librarian,  Mr.  G.  P.  Win- 
ship,  calls  for  a  grateful  acknowledgment.  The  late 
Mr.  Amos  Perry,  Mr.  William  E.  Foster,  and  Mr. 
Sidney  S.  Rider,  of  Providence,  have  furnished  valu- 
able information  respecting  biographical  material. 

To  Professor  W.  Whitman  Bailey  and  to  Mr.  Al- 
bert V.  Jencks  I  am  indebted  for  the  loan  of  rare 
books,  while  to  the  kind  advice  and  assistance  of  Dr. 
J.  F.  Jameson,  of  Brown  University,  the  volume  owes 
no  small  amount  of  whatever  merit  it  may  possess. 
GERTRUDE  SELWYX  KIMBALL. 


Xlll 


PICTURES   OF    RHODE    ISLAND 
IN   THE   PAST. 


1642.     Thomas  Lechford. 

Thomas  Lechford  describes  himself  as  "a  student 
or  practiser  at  law."  In  1637  he  fell  under  the  ban 
of  Archbishop  Laud,  and,  he  tells  us,  "  suffered  im- 
prisonment and  a  kind  of  banishment."  The  next 
year  he  came  to  Boston,  where  he  was  regarded  with 
distrust  by  those  in  authority,  on  account  of  both  his 
profession  and  his  doctrine.  In  1641  he  left  New 
England  and  returned  to  London,  where  his  book  was 
written  and  published.  Cotton,  in  his  "  Way  Cleared," 
says  that  he  "  put  out  his  Book  (such  as  it  is)  and  soon 
after  dyed."  The  extract  given  is  taken  from  this  book 
— Plain  Dealing:  or,  News  from  New- England,  ed. 
1867,  pp.  93-97. 


At  the  Island  called  Aquedney,  are  about  two  hun- 
dred families,  there  was  a  Church,  where  one  master 
Clark  was  Elder  :  The  -place  where  the  Church  was, 
is  called  Newport,  but  that  Church,  I  heare,  is  now 
dissolved  ;  as  also  divers  Churches  in  the  Country  have 
been  broken  up  and  dissolved  through  dissention.  At 
the  other  end  of  the  Island  there  is  another  towne 
called  Portsmouth,  but  no  Church  :  there  is  a  meeting 

1 


2  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

of  some  men,  who  there  teach  one  another,  and  call  it 
Prophesie.  These  of  the  Island  have  a  pretended 
civill  government  of  their  owne  erection,  without  the 
Kings  Patent. 

At  Providence,  which  is  twenty  miles  from  the  said 
Island,  lives  master  Williams,  and  his  company  of  divers 
opinions  ;  most  are  Anabaptists  ;  they  hold  there  is  no 
true  visible  Church  in  the  Say,  nor  in  the  world,  nor 
any  true  Ministerie.  This  is  within  no  Patent,  as  they 
say ;  but  they  have  of  late  a  kind  of  government  also 
of  their  owne  erection. 

One  master  Blakeston,  went  from  Boston,  having 
lived  there  nine  or  ten  yeares,  because  he  would  not 
joyne  with  the  Church  ;  he  lives  neere  master  Williams, 
but  is  far  from  his  opinions. 


1660.     Samuel  Maverick. 

Samuel  Maverick  (1602— c.  1668)  came  to  America 
in  1624,  and  settled  on  Boston  Bay  where  Chelsea  now 
is.  He  was  a  man  of  good  family,  well  educated,  in- 
telligent, and  justly  celebrated  for  his  hospitality  "  to 
all  Comers  gratis"  After  the  Restoration,  Maverick 
returned  to  England,  and  was  appointed  one  of  the 
four  members  of  the  Commission  of  1664.  The  path 
of  the  Commission,  in  New  England,  was  not  one  of 
peace.  Maverick  bore  his  part  in  the  struggle  with 
the  contumacious  colony,  but  made  New  York  his  per- 
manent residence.  This  extract  is  taken  from  his  ac- 
count of  New  England,  recently  discovered,  and  printed 
in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  So- 
ciety, 2d  Series,  I.  243. 


COLONEL    RICHARD    NICOLLS    AND   OTHERS.  3 

Rhode  Island.  This  island  is  about  ffouerteen  miles 
Long,  in  some  places  3  or  4  miles  Broad,  in  other  lesse. 
It  is  full  of  people  haveing  been  a  receptacle  for  people 
of  severall  Sorts  and  Opinions.  There  was  a  Patent 
granted  to  one  Coddington  for  the  Government  of  this 
Island,  and  Warwick  and  Providence  two  Townes 
which  lye  on  the  maine,  and  I  think  they  still  keepe  a 
seeming  forme  of  Goverment  but  to  litle  purpose,  none 
submitting  to  Supream  Authority  but  as  they  please. 


1665.     Colonel  Richard  Nicolls  and 
Others. 

Eichard  Nicolls  (1624-1672)  was  the  first  English 
governor  of  New  York.  An  adherent  of  the  Stuart 
cause,  he  followed  his  King  into  exile,  and  obtained 
substantial  preferment  in  England,  after  the  Restora- 
tion. In  1664  he  was  appointed  military  commander 
of  an  expedition  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  New 
England — and  incidentally  to  acquire  the  Dutch  terri- 
tory along  the  Atlantic  seaboard. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  other  members  of  the  Com- 
mission (Sir  Robert  Carr,  George  Cartwright  and 
Samuel  Maverick)  carried  out  the  regulation  of  New 
England,  while  Nicolls  was  chiefly  concerned  with  the 
reorganization  of  the  province  of  New  York.  This 
description  of  Rhode  Island  is  an  extract  from  the  Re- 
port of  the  King's  Commissioners  concerning  the  New 
England  Colonies,  made  December,  1665,  and  is  found 
in  Bartlett's  Records  of  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Island. 
II.  127,  129. 


4  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

The  Colony  of  Road  Island  and  Providence  Planta- 
tions returned  their  humble  thanks  to  his  Majestic  for 
sending  Commissioners,  and  made  great  demonstrations 
of  their  loyalty  and  obedience. 

They  approved  as  most  reasonable  that  appeales 
should  be  made  to  his  Majesties  Commissioners,  who 
having  heard  and  determined  some  causes  among  them, 
referred  other,  some  in  civility  to  their  generall  Court, 
and  some  to  the  Governour,  and  others,  some  of  which 
causes  they  againe  remitted  to  the  Commissioners  to  be 
determined. 

All  proceedings  in  justice  are  in  his  Majesties  name. 

They  admitt  all  to  be  freemen  who  desire  it. 

They  allow  liberty  of  conscience  and  worship  to  all 
who  live  civilly. 

And  if  any  can  informe  them  of  any  thing  in  their 
lawes  or  practice,  derogatory  to  his  Majesties  honour, 
they  will  amend  it. 

The  Nanyhygansett  Bay  is  the  largest  and  safest  port 
in  New  England,  nearest  the  sea,  and  fittest  for  trade. 

This  Colony  hath  two  scattered  tounes  upon  Road 
Island,  two  upon  the  maine  land,  and  four  small  vil- 
lages. 

Here  only  yet  is  Limestone  found,  and  here  only  the 
Governour  and  magistrates  serve  the  publick  at  their 
own  charges.  In  this  Colony  is  the  greatest  number 
of  Indians,  yet  they  never  had  anything  allowed  to- 
wards the  civilizing  and  converting  of  the  Indians. 
And  in  this  Colony  they  have  the  greatest  plaines,  but 
no  place  of  strength  fortifyed,  though  many  places 
capable  of  fortification. 

In  this  Province,  also,  is  the  best  English  grasse, 
and  most  sheepe,  the  ground  very  fruitfull,  ewes  bring 
ordinarily  two  lambs ;  corn  yields  eighty  for  one,  and 
in  some  places,  they  have  had  corne  twenty  sixe  yeares 
together  without  manuring. 

In  this  Province  only  they  have  not  any  places  set 


ROGER    WILLIAMS.  5 

apart  for  the  worship  of  God,  there  being  so  many 
subdivided  sects,  they  cannot  agree  to  meet  togeather 
in  one  place,  but  according  to  their  severall  judgments, 
they  sometimes  associate  in  one  house,  sometimes  in 
another. 


1668.     Roger  Williams. 

The  life  and  work  of  Roger  Williams  are  too  well 
known  to  need  elucidation  here.  The  letter  cited  may 
serve  as  an  illustration  of  the  kindliness  and  public 
spirit  for  which  he  was  no  less  noted  than  for  his  love 
of  liberty  and  his  undaunted  pugnacity  in  theological 
controversy.  This  letter  is  taken  from  Vol.  VI.  of 
the  Publications  of  the  Narragansett  Club,  Letters  of 
Roger  Williams,  pp.  324,  325. 


To  my  much  respected  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of 

Providence. 

Providence,  10th  February,  1667-8. 

Loving  Friends  and  Neighbors, — Unto  this  day,  it 
pleased  the  town  to  adjourn  for  the  answering  of  the 
bill  for  the  bridge  and  others.  T  have  conferred  with 
Shadrach  Manton  and  Nathaniel  Waterman,  about 
their  proposal,  and  their  result  is,  that  they  cannot 
obtain  such  a  number  as  will  join  with  them,  to  under- 
take the  bridge  upon  the  hopes  of  meadow.  I  am, 
therefore,  bold,  after  so  many  anchors  come  home,  and 
so  much  trouble  and  long  debates  and  deliberations,  to 
offer,  that  if  you  please,  I  will,  with  God's  help,  take 
this  bridge  unto  my  care,  by  that  moderate  toll  of 
strangers  of  all  sorts,  which  hath  been  mentioned  ;  will 
maintain  it  so  long  that  it  pleaseth  God  that  I  live  in 
this  town. 


6  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

1 .  The  town  shall  be  free  from  all  toll,  only  I  desire 
one  day's  work  of  one  man  in  a  year  from  every  family, 
but  from  those  that  have  teams,  and  have  much  use  of 
the  bridge,  one  day's  work  of  a  man  and  team,  and  of 
those  that  have  less  use,  half  a  day. 

3.  I  shall  join  with  any  of  the  town,  more  or  few, 
who  will  venture  their  labor  with  me  for  the  gaining 
of  meadow. 

4.  I  promise,  if  it  please  God,  that  I  gain  meadow 
in  equal  value  to  the  town's  yearly  help,  I  shall  then 
release  that. 

5.  I  desire  if  it  please  God  to  be  with  me,  to  go 
through  such  a  charge  and  trouble  as  will  be  to  bring 
this  to  a  settled  way,  and  then  suddenly  to  take  me 
from  hence,  I  desire  that  before  another,  my  wife  and 
children,  if  they  desire  it,  may  engage  in  my  stead  to- 
these  conditions. 

6.  If  the  town  please  to  consent,  I  desire  that  one 
of  yourselves  be  nominated,  to  join  with  the  clerk  to- 
draw  up  the  writing. 

ROGER  WILLIAMS.* 


1680.     Governor  Peleg  Sanford. 

Peleg  Sanford  (1632-c.  1700)  was  prominent  in 
various  official  positions.  He  was  general  treasurer 
of  the  colony  under  the  Royal  Charter,  from  1678— 
1681,  and  upon  the  death  of  the  governor,  was  elected 

*  The  Providence  town  meeting,  on  May  9,  1662,  passed  the  fol- 
lowing vote  :  ' '  Ordred  that  A  bridge  be  made  over  Moshosick  River 
by  Tho:  Olney  junr  his  Dwelling  howse  ;  John  Browne,  Edward 
Smith,  Thomas  Harris  junr,  John  Steere,  Epenetus  Olney,  Tho. 
Arnold,  Tho:  Olney  junr,  and  George  palmer,  are  appointed  to  git 
the  Timber  of  the  said  Bridge,  and  to  fframe  it,  and  then  to  give  no- 


GOVERNOR  PELEG  SANFORD.  7 

by  the  General  Assembly  to  fill  the  vacant  place,  in 
1680.  He  was  governor  of  Rhode  Island  until  1683. 
He  also  served  his  colony  as  agent  to  England,  and 
served  the  mother-country  in  the  capacity  of  judge  of 
the  Admiralty. 

The  following  "  Answer  of  Rhode  Island  to  the  In- 
quiries of  the  Board  of  Trade,"  the  original  of  which  is 
in  the  British  Public  Record  Office,  is  here  reprinted 
from  Arnold's  History  of  Rhode  Island,  I.  488. 


Whereas  wee  the  Governor  and  Councill  of  his 
Majesties  Colloney  of  Rhoade  Island  and  Providence 
Plantations  receaved  from  your  Lordships  the  Right 
Honorable,  the  Lords  of  his  Majesties  most  Honorable 
Privy  Councill,  appointed  a  committee  for  Trade  and 
Forreign  Plantations  certain  heads  of  inquiery,  sub- 
scribed by  the  honorable  secretary  William  Blathwayt, 
in  obedience  to  your  Lordships  commands  requiring  an 
answer  thereunto ;  wee  the  Governor  and  Councill 
aforesaid  accordinge  to  the  best  of  our  understandinge 
make  answer  as  followeth,  viz*. 

To  the  first  wee  humbly  answer  that  the  Councells 
and  Assemblies  are  stated  accordinge  to  his  Majesties 
appointment  in  his  gratious  letters  Pattents,  and  our 
Courts  of  judicature  are  two  in  the  yeare  certain  ap- 
pointed accordinge  to  Charter,  and  are  carried  on  by 
Judges  and  Jurors,  accordinge  to  Law  and  Charter. 

To  the  second,  concerninge  the  court  of  Admiralty 
wee  answer  that  wee  have  made  provision  to  act  ac- 
cordinge to  the  Lawes  of  England  as  neare  as  the  con- 

tice  unto  the  Surveiors,  to  warn  the  inhabetantes  together  to  mend 
the  high  waves,  and  then  to  rear  the  said  bridge  ;  and  this  bridge 
to  be  done  before  the  next  hay  tyme".  Primitive  as  all  this  sounds, 
the  skill  to  build  a  bridge  over  our  river  between  May  and  ' '  hay 
tyme"  would  have  been  appreciated  by  many  of  us  in  1898. 

An  inkstand  made  from  one  of  the  timbers  of  the  old  Weybosset 
bridge  is  in  the  Museum  of  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society. 


8  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

stitution  of  our  place  will  beare  havinge  but  little 
occasion  thereofe. 

To  the  third  wee  answer  that  accordinge  to  our 
Charter  the  Legislative  power  is  seated  in  our  Generall 
Assemblies,  and  the  executive  power  of  the  government 
is  in  our  Courts  of  Trialls  settled  accordinge  to  Charter. 

To  the  fourth  wee  answer  that  our  Lawes  are  made 
accordinge  to  the  Charter  not  repugnant  but  agreeable 
to  the  Lawes  of  England. 

To  the  fifth  wee  answer,  that  as  for  Horse  wee  have 
but  few,  but  the  chief  of  our  Militia  consists  of  ten 
companys  of  foote,  being  Trayned  Bands  under  one 
Generall  Commander,  and  their  arms  are  firelockes. 

To  the  sixth,  wee  answer  that  in  the  late  Indian 
warres  wee  fortified  ourselves  against  the  Indians  as 
necessity  required,  but  as  for  fortification  against  a 
Forreign  enemie,  as  yet  wee  have  had  no  occasion  but 
have  made  as  good  provision  as  at  present  wee  are 
capacitated  to  doe. 

To  the  seventh  wee  answer,  that  our  coast  is  little 
frequented  and  not  at  all  at  this  time  with  privateers 
or  pirates. 

To  the  eighth  wee  answer,  as  with  respect  to  other 
Nations,  that  the  French  being  seated  at  Canada  and 
up  the  Bay  of  Funde  are  a  very  considerable  number, 
as  wee  judge  about  two  thousand,  but  as  for  the  In- 
dians, they  are  generally  cut  off  by  the  late  warr,  that 
were  inhabitinge  our  Colloney. 

To  the  9th  wee  answer,  that  as  for  Forreighners  and 
Indians,  we  have  no  commerce  with,  but  as  for  our 
neighbouringe  English,  wee  have  and  shall  endeavour 
to  keepe  a  good  correspondency  with  them. 

To  the  10th  we  answer  as  to  the  Boundaryes  of  our 
Land  within  our  Patent  that  our  Charter  doth  declare 
the  same  viz — [extracts  the  bounds  from  the  charter, 
and  adds,  "  the  greatest  part  of  it  uncultivated,  and  is 
about  a  degree  as  we  conceave."] 


GOVERNOR  PELEG  SANFORD.  9 

To  the  llth  wee  answer  that  the  principal  town  for 
trade  in  our  Colloney  is  the  Towne  of  Newport,  that 
the  generality  of  our  buildinge  is  of  timber  and  gen- 
erally small. 

To  the  12th,  That  wee  have  nine  towns  or  divisions 
within  our  Colloney. 

To  the  13th,  That  wee  have  several  good  Harbors 
in  the  Colloney  of  very  good  depth  and  soundinge, 
navigable  for  any  shippinge. 

To  the  14th,  That  the  principall  matters  that  are 
exported  amongst  us,  is  Horses  and  provisions,  and 
the  goods  chiefly  imported  is  a  small  quantity  of  Bar- 
badoes  goods  for  supply  of  our  familyes. 

To  the  15th,  That  as  for  Salt  Peter  we  know  of  none 
in  this  Colloney. 

To  the  1 6th,  Wee  answer  that  wee  have  severall  men 
that  deale  in  btiyinge  and  sellinge  although  they  can- 
not properly  be  called  Merchants,  and  for  Planters  wee 
conceave  there  are  about  five  hundred  and  about  five 
hundred  men  besides. 

To  the  17th,  that  we  have  had  few  or  none  either 
of  English,  Scots,  Irish  or  Forreighners,  onely  a  few 
blakes  imported. 

To  the  18th,  That  there  may  be  of  Whites  and 
Blakes  about  two  hundred  borne  in  a  yeare. 

To  the  19th,  That  for  marriages  we  have  about  fifty 
in  a  yeare. 

To  the  20th,  That  for  burrials  this  seven  yeares  last 
past  accordinge  to  computation  amounts  to  foure  hun- 
dred fifty  and  five. 

To  the  21st,  That  as  for  Merchants  wee  have  none, 
but  the  most  of  our  Colloney  live  comfortably  by  im- 
proving the  wildernesse. 

To  the  22d,  That  wee  have  no  shippinge  belonginge 
to  our  Colloney  but  only  a  few  sloopes. 

To  the  23d,  that  the  great  obstruction  concerninge 


10  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

trade  is  the  want  of  Merchants  and  Men  of  consider- 
able Estates  amongst  us. 

To  the  24th,  wee  answer  that  a  fishinge  trade  might 
prove  very  beneficiall  provided  accordinge  to  the  former 
artickle  there  were  men  of  considerable  Estates  amongst 
us  and  willing  to  propagate  it. 

To  the  25th,  That  as  for  goodes  exported  and  im- 
ported, which  is  very  little,  there  is  no  Custome  im- 
posed. 

To  the  26th,  wee  answer  that  those  people  that  goe 
under  the  denomination  of  Baptists  and  Quakers  are 
the  most  that  publiquely  congregate  together,  but  there 
are  others  of  divers  persuasions  and  principles  all  which 
together  with  them  injoy  their  liberties  accordinge  to 
his  Majesties  gratious  Charter  to  them  granted,  wherein 
all  people  in  our  Colloney  are  to  enjoy  their  liberty  of 
conscience  provided  their  liberty  extend  not  to  licenti- 
ousnesse,  but  as  for  Papists,  wee  know  of  none  amongst 
us. 

To  the  27th,  That  we  leave  every  Man  to  walke  as 
God  shall  persuade  their  hartes,  and  doe  actively  and 
passively  yield  obedience  to  the  Civill  Magistrate  and 
doe  not  actively  disturb  the  Civill  peace  and  live  peace- 
ably in  the  Corporation  as  our  Charter  requires,  and 
have  liberty  to  frequent  any  meetings  of  worship  for 
their  better  Instruction  and  information,  but  as  for 
beggars  and  vagabonds  wee  have  none  amongst  us  ; 
and  as  for  lame  and  impotent  persons  there  is  a  due 
course  taken.  This  may  further  humbly  informe  your 
Lordships  that  our  predecessors  about  forty  years  since 
left  their  native  countrey  and  comfortable  settlements 
there  because  they  could  not  in  their  private  opinions 
conform  to  the  Lithurge,  formes  and  ceremonies  of  the 
Church  of  England,  and  transported  themselves  and 
familyes  over  the  Ocean  seas  to  dwell  in  this  remote 
wildernesse,  that  they  might  injoy  their  liberty  in  their 
opinions,  which  upon  application  to  his  gratious  Majesty 


EDWARD    RANDOLPH.  11 

after  his  happy  restouration  did  of  his  bountiful!  good- 
nesse  graunt  us  a  Charter  full  of  liberty  of  conscience, 
provided  that  the  pretence  of  liberty  extend  not  to 
licentiousnesse,  in  which  said  Charter  there  is  liberty 
for  any  person  that  will  at  their  charges  build  Churches 
and  maintaine  such  as  are  called  Ministers  without  the 
least  molestation  as  well  as  others. 

In  behalf  and  with  the  consent  of  the  Councill,  signed 

PELEG  SANFORD,  Governor. 
Dated  Newport  on  Road  Island 
the  eighth  of  May  1680. 


1685.     Edward  Randolph. 

Randolph  (c.  1640-c.  1700)  was  the  famous  agent  sent 
to  New  England  by  the  home  government  in  1676,  with 
instructions  to  obtain  information  as  to  the  resources  of, 
and  state  of  feeling  in,  the  colonies.  In  1678  he  was 
appointed  collector  and  surveyor  of  customs  in  New 
England,  and,  in  1685,  was  made  secretary  and  regis- 
trar of  the  province  of  New  England.  He  also  held 
office  for  the  Crown  in  New  York,  and,  it  is  stated,  in 
Maryland  and  Pennsylvania.  Cotton  Mather  says,  in 
his  Parentator  (1724)  that  Randolph  died  in  Virginia 
in  great  poverty.  The  paper  quoted  is  taken  from 
Bartlett's  Records  of  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Island,  III. 
175,  176. 

Articles  of  Misdemeanor  against  Rhode  Island. 

To  the  Right  Honorable  the  Lords  of  the  Committee 
for  Trade  and  Foreign  Plantations. 


12  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

Articles  of  high  misdemeanors  exhibited  against  the 
Governor  and  Company  of  the  Collony  of  Rhode 
Island  and  Providence  Plantations,  by  Edward  Ran- 
dolph. 

1.  They  raise  great  sums  of  money  upon  the  inhabi- 
tants of  that  Collony,  and  others  by  fines,  taxes  and 
arbitrary  imprisonment,  contrary  to  law,  and  deny  ap- 
peals to  his  Majesty. 

2.  They  make  and  execute  laws  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  England. 

3.  They  deny  his  Majesty's  subjects  the  benefits  of 
the  laws  of  England,  and  will  not  suffer  them  to  be 
pleaded  in  their  Courts. 

4.  They  keep  no  authentick  Records  of  their  laws, 
neither  will  they  suffer  the  inhabitants  to  have  copys 
of  them. 

5.  They  raise  and  cancel  their  laws  as  they  please, 
without  the  consent  of  the  General  Assembly. 

6.  Their    Governor,  Deputy   Governor,  Assistants, 
Deputys  and  other  officers   for  the   administration  of 
justice,  as  well  as  juries  and  witnesses,  are  under  no 
legal  oaths. 

7.  They  violate  the  acts  of  Trade,  and  have  taken 
from  Francis  Brinley,  Esq'r,  his  late  Majesty's  Com- 
mission, appointing  the  said  Brinley  and  others  to  ad- 
minister an  oath  to  the  Governor  of  that  Collony,  for 
his   duly  putting  in   execution   the  act  of  Trade  and 
Navigation,  made  in  the  twelfth  year  of  his  late  Ma- 
jesty's reign  ;  the  Governor  of  that  Collony  not  having 
taken  the  said  oath  these  three  or  four  years  last  past, 
as  is  required  in  the  said  act. 

All  of  which  is  humbly  submitted,  &c. 


IS 

1690.     N.  N. 

The  pamphlet  from  which  this  extract  is  taken  was 
published  anonymously,  and  has  but  recently  come  to 
light.  It  is  not  known  who  was  the  author.  The 
work  is  entitled  A  Short  Account  of  the  Present  State  of 
New  England. 

The  Names  of  the  several  Colonies  and  Provinces, 
are  these  that  follow,  Road-Island,  Plymouth,  Narra- 
ganset  Country,  Connecticut,  New-Hampshire,  Province 
of  Maine,  &  the  Massachusetts-Colon^. 

ROAD-ISLAND  is  of  a  considerable  bigness,  and  justly 
called  the  Garden  of  New-England,  for  its  Fertility  and 
Pleasantness.  It  abounds  with  all  things  necessary  for 
the  life  of  Man,  is  excellent  for  Sheep,  Kine  and 
Horses ;  and  being  environed  by  the  Sea,  it  is  free'd 
from  the  dangers  of  Bears,  Wolves  and  Foxes,  which 
much  molest  and  damnific  those  that  live  on  the  Con- 
tinent. 

The  People  for  some  tract  of  time  had  a  Charter  to 
themselves,  lived  under  a  Governour  of  their  own 
choosing,  and  Laws  of  their  own  making :  But  in 
year  1686,  upon  serving  the  Quo  Warranto,  they  freely 
resigned  up  their  Charter  to  His  Majesty,  and  con- 
tinue so  well  satisfied  with  the  surrender,  that  they  do 
not  so  much  as  petition  for  their  Charter  again.  Here 
is  a  medley  of  most  Perswasions,  but  neither  Church 
nor  Meeting-house,  except  one  built  for  the  use  of  the 
Quakers,  who  are  here  very  numerous,  and  have  an- 
nually a  General  Meeting  from  all  Quarters. 

Many  of  the  others  regard  neither  Time,  nor  Place, 
nor  Worship  ;  and  even  some  very  sober  men  have 
lived  so  long  without  it,  that  they  think  all  instituted 
Religion  useless. 


14  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

v  The  People  live  in  great  plenty,  send  Horses  and 
Provisions  to  Barbadoes,  and  the  Leeward- Islands,  and 
sell  great  numbers  of  fat  Oxen  and  Sheep  to  the 
Butchers  of  Boston. 

The  settlement  of  this  Colony,  was  in  this  manner ; 
The  People  of  Boston,  who  always  had  a  perfect  hatred 
against  all  those  who  differed  in  Opinion  from  them, 
had  some  "Quakers  in  the  Land ;  and  how  to  rid  them- 
selves fairly  of  these,  they  had  many  Consultations, 
which  at  last  ended  in  this  result ;  They  would  banish 
them  to  some  place  or  other,  from  whence  they  might 
be  sure  to  be  never  troubled  with  them  again  :  so  they 
banish'd  the  Quakers  to  this  Island,  where  in  all  prob- 
ability they  must  have  perished  with  hunger,  or  else 
been  destroyed  by  the  Heathens ;  hither  these  poor 
people  being  come,  dig  themselves  Caves  in  the  earth, 
and  by  the  kindness  of  the  Indians,  outlive  the  severity 
of  a  long  and  sharp  Winter.  The  Spring  coming  on, 
they  obtained  leave  from  the  Sachein  to  manure  the 
ground,  and  in  a  little  time  wrought  themselves  into 
good  Estates,  which  some  even  of  the  first  setlers  enjoy 
to  this  day.  Being  thus  happily  settled,  they  petitioned 
King  Charles  II.  that  they  might  have  a  Charter  to 
themselves,  fearing  least  they  should  fall  under  the 
lash  of  the  Bostoners  again,  who  had  been  so  Inhumane 
and  Barbarous  to  them  in  their  banishment. 

The  NARRAGANSETT  Countrey  is  a  large  tract  of 
Ground,  little  inhabited,  but  the  greatest  part  of  the 
Country  is  taken  up  by  several  Persons.  Some  of  the 
Bostoners  claim  a  propriety  for  several  miles  together, 
but  never  take  care  to  make  the  least  Improvement. 
Churches  here  are  none,  and  but  a  few  Houses ;  I  can- 
not say  there  is  one  English  Town  in  the  whole  Prov- 
ince. What  is  most  considerable  in  the  Narragansett 
Country,  is  the  settlement  of  the  French  Protestants : 
who,  on  the  violence  of  the  Persecution,  left  their 
Country,  came  over  to  New-England,  and  took  up  their 


LORD    BELLOMONT.  15 

habitation  in  this  Wilderness ;  where  they  have  made 
good  improvement,  live  comfortably,  and  have  planted 
great  numbers  of  Vines,  which  they  say  thrive  well, 
and  it  is  hoped  will  be  very  beneficial  to  them. 


1699.     Lord  Bellomont. 

Richard  Coote,  first  Earl  of  Bellomont  (1636-1701), 
was  in  1695  appointed  governor  of  New  England,  with 
a  special  mission  to  put  down  piracy  and  unlawful 
trading.  The  notorious  Captain  Kidd  engaged  his 
energies  in  the  first-named  sphere  of  duty,  and  Rhode 
Island  seems  to  have  claimed  no  small  share  of  the 
Governor' s  attention  so  far  as  the  regulation  of  unlaw- 
ful trade  was  concerned.  He  visited  Rhode  Island  in 
1699,  was  most  unfavorably  impressed  with  the  colony 
and  its  people,  and  in  his  Report  his  views  are  ex- 
pressed in  terms  of  unflinching  sincerity.  This  "  Re- 
port of  the  Earl  of  Bellomont  on  the  Irregularities  of 
Rhode  Island  "  is  taken  from  Bartlett's  Records  of  the 
Colony  of  Rhode  Island,  III.  385-387. 

Boston,  November  the  27th,  1699. 
My  Lords  :  In  obedience  to  his  Majesty's  commands, 
contained  in  his  Royall  commission  and  instructions, 
authorizing  and  requiring  me  to  inquire  and  take  the 
examination  of  persons  and  witnesses  relating  to  the 
the  disorders  and  irregularities  countenanced  and  prac- 
tised by  the  government  of  the  English  Collony  of 
Rhode  Island  and  Providence  Plantations  in  New 
England,  in  America. 


16  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

In  the  month  of  September,  in  this  present  year 
1699, 1  repaired  unto  the  said  Collony,  and  have  made 
inquiry  and  examined  into  the  disorders,  irregularities 
and  maladministrations  committed  and  practised  by 
and  within  the  said  government.  And  in  further  pur- 
suance of  his  Majesty's  commands,  crave  leave  to  ob- 
serve unto  your  Lordships  wherein  (as  I  apprehend) 
the  government  of  the  said  Collony  have  deviated  from, 
and  gone  contrary  to  the  rules  prescribed  by  their 
Charter  of  incorporation,  and  the  powers  and  authori- 
ties which  they  have  usurped  and  exercised,  beyond  the 
powers  therein  conferred  upon  them. 

1.  They  seem  wholly  to  have  neglected  the  Roy  all 
intention,  and  their  own  professed  declaration  recited  in 
the  Letters  Patents  of  their  incorporation,  "  of  Godly 
edifying  themselves  and  one  another  in  the  holy  Chris- 
tian faith  and  worship,  and  for  the  gaining  over  and 
conversion  of  the  poor  ignorant  Indian  natives  to  the 
sincere  profession  and  observance  of  the  same  faith  and 
worship.77  Upon  which  grounds,  they  were  granted  to 
have  and  enjoy  their  judgments  and  conscience  in 
matters  of  religious  concernments,  they  behaving  them- 
selves peacably  and  quietly,  and  not  using  this  liberty 
to  licentiousness  and  profaneness.  In  that  they  have 
never  erected  nor  encouraged  any  schools  of  learning, 
or  had  the  means  of  instruction  by  a  learned  orthodox 
ministry.  The  government  being  elective,  has  been 
kept  in  the  hands  of  such  who  have  strenuously  op- 
posed the  same ;  and  the  generality  of  the  people  are 
shamefully  ignorant,  and  all  manner  of  licentiousness 
and  profaneness  does  greatly  abound,  and  is  indulged 
within  that  government. 

15.  Their  Courts  of  Justice  are  held  by  the  Gover- 
nor and  Assistants,  who  sit  as  judges  therein,  more  for 
the  constituting  of  the  Court,  than  for  searching  out 


LORD  BELLOMONT.  17 

the  right  of  the  causes  coming  before  them,  or  deliver- 
ing their  opinion  in  points  of  law  (whereof  it's  said 
they  know  very  little).  They  give  no  directions  to  the 
jury,  nor  sum  up  the  evidences  to  them,  pointing  unto 
the  issue  which  they  are  to  try.  Their  proceedings  are 
very  immethodical,  no  ways  agreeable  to  the  course 
and  practice  of  the  Courts  in  England,  and  many  times 
very  arbitrary,  and  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the  place ; 
as  is  affirmed  by  the  attornies  at  law,  that  have  some- 
times practised  in  their  Courts. 

16.  Their  Generall  Attorney  is  a  poor  illiterate  me- 
chanick,   very  ignorant,  on   whom   they  rely   for  his 
opinion  and  knowledge  of  the  law ;  and  allow  of  judg- 
ments against  criminal  offenders,  drawn   in   his  own 
name,  viz.:  I,  John  Pocock,  do  indict,  &c. 

17.  The  Assistants,  or  Councillors,    who    are   also 
Justices  of  the  Peace,  and  Judges  of  their  Courts,  are 
generally  Quakers,  and  sectaries,  elected  by  the  pre- 
vailing factions  among  them  ;  illiterate,  and  of  little  or 
no  capacity,  severall  of  them  not  able  to  write  their 
names,  or  at  least  so  as  to  be  read,  unqualified  to  exer- 
cise their  respective  offices,  not  having  taken  the  oaths 
or  subscribed  the  test  and   Association   appointed  by 
Act  of  Parliament.     John  Greene,  a  brutish  man,  of 
very  corrupt  or  no  principles  in  religion,  and  generally 
known  so  to  be  by  the  people,  is  notwithstanding  from 
year  to  year  anew  elected  and  continued  in  the  place 
of  Deputy  Governor,    and  second   Magistrate  in    the 
Collony ;  whilst  severall  gentlemen  most  sufficient  for 
estate,  best  capacitated  and  disposed  for  his  Majesty's 
service,  are  neglected  and  no  ways  employed  in  any 
office  or  place  in  the  government,  but  on  the  contrary 
maligned  for  their  good  affection  to  his  Majesty's  ser- 
vice. 

18.  The  aforesaid  Deputy  Governor  Greene,  during 
the  time  of  the  late  war,  granted  severall  sea  commis- 
sions under  the  publick  Seal  of  the  Collony  unto  private 


18  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

men  of  war  (otherwise  pirates),  expressly  contrary  to 
the  will  of  the  Governor,  then  in  the  actual  exercise  of 
the  Government ;  and  notwithstanding  his  forbidding 
the  same,  took  no  security  of  the  persons  to  whom  the 
same  were  granted,  nor  could  he  tell  by  the  contents  of 
them,  who  was  to  execute  the  same,  being  directed  in 
an  unusuall  manner  to  the  Captain,  his  assignee  or 
assignees ;  and  otherwise  full  of  tautologies,  and  non- 
sense. And  all  the  vessels  whereof  the  Commanders 
were  so  commissionated  went  to  Madagascar  and  the 
seas  of  India,  and  were  employed  to  commit  piracy. 
The  said  Greene  is  likewise  complained  of  for  exer- 
cising divers  other  exorbitant  and  arbitrary  acts  of 
power,  under  color  of  his  office. 

1 9.  The  government  is  notoriously  faulty  in  coun- 
tenancing and  harboring  of  pirates,  who  have  openly 
brought  in  and  disposed  of  their  effects  there  ;  whereby 
the  place  has  been  greatly  enriched.  And  not  only 
plain  breaches  of  the  Acts  of  Trade  and  Navigation 
have  been  connived  at,  but1  also  manifest  and  known 
piracies,  and  all  that  has  been  done  by  them  on  pretence 
of  seizing  and  taking  up  of  known  pirates,  has  been  so 
slender,  weak  and  not  pursued  to  effect,  as  plainly  de- 
monstrates it  was  more  in  show,  than  out  of  any  hearty 
zeal  or  desire  to  suppress  and  bring  such  notorious 
criminalls  to  Justice,  and  their  care  has  been  so  little 
therein,  that  when  they  had  some  of  the  greatest  of 
those  villians  in  their  power,  they  have  suffered  them  to 
escape. 


1702.     Governor  Joseph  Dudley. 

Joseph  Dudley  (1647-1720)  was  said  to  be  a  "  phi- 
losopher and  a  scholar,  a  divine  and  a  lawyer,  all  com- 


GOVERNOR    JOSEPH    DUDLEY.  19 

bined,"  but  is  best  known  to  us  as  governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts. He  held  this  office  from  1702  to  1715.  It 
was  in  his  capacity  of  captain-general  (by  virtue  of 
which  he  was  empowered  to  exercise  military  authority 
in  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island  in  case  of  necessity) 
that  he  made  the  journey  to  Rhode  Island  which  is 
below  described.  The  extract  is  taken  from  Bartlett's 
Records  of  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Island,  III.  462,  463. 

GOVERNOR  DUDLEY  TO  THE  BOARD  OF  TRADE. 

BOSTON,  17th  September,  1702. 
My  Lords  : 

About  twenty  days  ago,  in  obedience  to  her  Majes- 
ties instructions,  I  took  with  me  some  gentlemen  of  the 
Councill  here,  and  a  troop  of  horse  to  attend  me,  and 
came  to  Rhode  Island,  and  there  in  presence  of  Mr. 
Cranston,  Governor,  and  seven  of  their  Councill,  most 
of  them  Quakers,  and  a  great  assembly  of  people,  I 
published  her  Majesty's  Letters  Patents  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  forces  and  fortifications  of  that  Collony 
in  the  time  of  war,  and  the  commission  for  the  Vice 
Admiralty,  at  which  the  Quakers  raged  indecently, 
saying  that  they  were  ensnared  and  injured. 

I  refused  to  enter  into  any  conference  with  them 
untill  I  had  taken  the  oaths  of  allegiance,  &c.,  and  had 
signed  the  Test,  which  I  told  them  I  would  do  in  the 
presence  of  the  Councill  I  brought  with  me ;  but  had 
rather  do  it  before  them,  and  then  I  should  account 
myself  qualified  and  secure  in  my  proceedings  with 
them,  which  obtained,  so  far  as  that  some  of  them 
withdrawing,  Mr.  Cranston  administered  the  oaths,  and 
the  next  day  at  a  conference  with  them,  I  told  them  I 
should  proceed  to  review  and  settle  the  defects  of  their 
militia,  and  desired  the  names  of  their  officers ;  but 


20  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

could  obtain  nothing  of  them  but  stubborn  refusal!, 
saying  they  would  lose  all  at  once,  and  not  by  pieces. 

The  next  day  I  gave  out  warrants  to  the  town  Major 
to  muster  the  two  Companies  in  Newport,  that  I  might 
see  them,  intending  to  have  given  the  oaths  and  spoken 
kindly  to  the  people ;  but  the  Governor  and  his  Coun- 
cill  would  admit  of  no  such  thing,  but  have  called  their 
Generall  Assembly,  which  is  now  sitting ;  and,  as  they 
say,  intend  to  send  home  some  application  to  her 
Majesty. 

The  day  after,  I  proceeded  into  the  Narraganset 
country,  and  came  to  the  town  of  Rochester,  to  which 
I  had  the  honor  to  give  that  name  sixteen  years  since, 
when  I  was  President  there,  who  are  now  grown  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty  men,  who  with  their  officers  all 
met  me  at  the  sea-side,  and  attended  the  publication 
of  the  commission,  and  cheerfully  and  unanimously, 
officers  and  soldiers,  took  the  oaths.  I  treated  them 
as  well  as  the  place  and  time  would  allow,  and  the  next 
day  proceeded  in  my  journey.  But  the  Governor  and 
Councill  of  Rhode  Island  came  near  to  Rochester  the 
next  day,  sent  for  the  officers,  and  were  greatly  dis- 
pleased with  their  attendance  and  submission  ;  and  since 
have  used  all  methods  to  bring  back  the  people  to  con- 
fusion. 

And  upon  the  whole  of  this  article,  my  Lords,  I  am 
humbly  of  opinion,  that  I  do  my  duty  to  acquaint  your 
Lordships,  that  the  government  of  Rhode  Island  in  the 
present  hands,  is  a  scandal  to  her  Majesty's  govern- 
ment. It  is  a  very  good  settlement,  with  about  two 
thousand  armed  men  in  it.  And  no  man  in  the  gov- 
ernment, of  any  estate  or  educaton,  though  in  the 
Province  there  be  men  of  very  good  estates,  ability  and 
loyalty  ;  but  the  Quakers  will  by  no  means  admit  them 
to  any  trust,  nor  would  they  now  accept  it,  in  hopes  of 
a  dissolution  of  that  misrule,  and  that  they  may  be 
brought  under  her  Majesty's  immediate  government  in 


COTTON    MATHER.  21 

all  things  which  the  major  part  by  much  of  the  whole 
people,  would  pray  for,  but  dare  not,  for  fear  of  the 
oppression  and  affront  of  the  Quakers  party  making  a 
noise  of  their  Charter. 


My  Lords,  I  am  your  Lordships'  most  obedient  and 
most  faithfull  humble  servant, 

J.  DUDLEY. 


1702.     Cotton  Mather. 

The  reputation  of  Cotton  Mather  (1662-1728)  as  a 
repository  of  erudition  is  well  known.  He  was  a  Har- 
vard graduate  of  the  class  of  1678,  studied  for  the 
ministry,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  preached  his  first 
sermon.  In  1685  he  was  ordained  as  his  father's 
colleague  in  the  pastorate  of  the  North  Church  in 
Boston,  and  his  connection  with  this  church  only  ceased 
with  his  death.  His  writings  were  extremely  numerous. 
The  best  known  is  probably  that  from  which  this  extract 
is  taken, — Magnolia  Christi  Americana :  Or,  the  Eccle- 
siastical History  of  New-England,  from  Its  First  Plant- 
ing in  the  Year  1620,  unto  the  year  of  our  Lord,  1698. 
London, -1702.  Book  VII.  pp.  20,  21. 


I  believe  there  never  was  held  such  a  variety  of  reli- 
gions together  on  so  small  a  spot  of  ground  as  have 
been  in  that  colony.  It  has  been  a  cottuvies  of  Antino- 
mians,  Familists,  Anabaptists,  Antisabbatarians,  Ar- 
minians,  Socinians,  Quakers,  Ranters,  every  thing  in 


22  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

the  world  but  Roman  Catholics,  and  real  Christians, 
tho'  of  the  latter,  I  hope,  there  have  been  more  than  of 
the  former  among  them ;  so  that  if  a  man  had  lost  his 
religion,  he  might  find  it  at  the  general  muster  of  opin- 
ionists  ! 

I  may  venture  to  say,  that  Rhode  Island  has  usually 
been  the  Gerizzim  of  New-England.  The  Island  is 
indeed,  for  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  the  temperatures  of 
the  air,  the  commodiousness  of  scituation,  the  best 
garden  of  all  the  colonies ;  and  were  it  free  from  ser- 
pents, I  would  have  called  it  the  paradise  of  New-Eng- 
land :  but  the  number  of  sensible  and  ingenious  gentle- 
men, whereof  there  are  some  upon  the  Island,  will  find 
it  hard  enough  to  rescue  it  from  an  extream  danger  of 
that  character,  Bona  Terra,  Mala  Gens.  The  condition 
of  the  rising  generation  upon  that  Island,  is  indeed  ex- 
ceedingly lamentable  ! 

The  former  generation  of  Rhode  Islanders  is  now 
generally  gone  off  the  stage ;  and  all  the  messengers 
which  the  churches  of  Massachuset  colony,  whereto  any 
of  them  did  belong,  sent  with  admonitions  after  them, 
could  reclaim  very  few  of  them  :  the  rising  generation, 
confounded  by  the  contradictions  in  religion  among  their 
parents,  and  under  many  horrible  temptations,  and  under 
some  unhappy  tendencies,  to  be  of  no  religion  at  all: 
and  when  the  ministers  of  this  province  have  several 
times,  at  their  own  united  expences,  employ M  certain 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  to  make  a  chargeless  tender  of 
preaching  the  word  among  them,  this  charitable  offer  of 
ministers  has  been  refused  :  tho'  it  seems  they  are  now 
beginning  to  embrace  it ;  the  indefatigable,  and  evangel- 
ical, and  very  laudable  industry  of  Mr.  John  Danforth, 
the  minister  of  Dorchester,  has,  with  the  blessing  of  our 
Lord  thereupon,  overcome  a  number  of  them,  not  only 
to  hear  the  gospel  from  a  worthy  young  preacher,  Mr. 
Nathanael  Clap,  sent  thither,  but  also  to  build  a  meet- 
ing-house for  that  purpose :  yea,  and  the  liberal 


SARAH    KEMBLE    KNIGHT.  23 

merchants  of  Boston  have  in  this  present  year  1695, 
been  exemplary,  by  their  bearing  the  expences  of  the 
ministers  which  we  have  sent  forth  to  make  tenders  of 
the  gospel  unto  other  Paganizing  plantations  on  the 
Jfdiu  belonging  to  that  colony  ;  albeit  some  of  those 
tenders  also  have  been  scandalously  rejected  by  the 
inhabitants.  If  I  should  now  launch  forth  into  a  nar- 
rative of  the  marvellous  lewd  things  which  have  been 
said  and  done  by  the  giddy  sectaries  of  this  Island,  I 
confess  the  matter  would  be  agreeable  enough  to  the 
nature  and  the  design  of  a  church  history,  and  for  a 
warning  unto  all  to  take  heed,  how  they  forsake  the 
word  of  God  and  his  ordinances  in  the  societies  of  the 
faithful,  and  follow  the  conduct  of  the  new  lights,  that 
are  no  more  than  so  many  fools-fires  in  the  issue ;  but 
the  merriment  arising  from  the  ridiculous  and  extrava- 
gant occurrences  therein,  would  not  be  agreeable  to  the 
gravity  of  such  a  history. 


1704.     Sarah  Kemble  Knight. 

Madarn  Knight  (1666-1727)  was  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  Kemble,  a  merchant  of  Charlestown  and  of 
Boston.  She  married  Richard  Knight  of  Boston. 

Madam  Knight's  later  years  were  passed  in  Nor- 
wich, and  she  figures  with  considerable  effect  in  the 
title-deeds  of  the  real  estate  transactions  of  that  town, 
and  of  New  London.  "She  stood  high  in  the  social 
rank,  and  was  respected  both  in  the  church  and  in  mer- 
cantile affairs." 

In  the  year  1704  she  journeyed  alone  from  Boston 
to  New  York,  on  horseback,  apparently  for  the  purpose 


24  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

of  attending  to  the  distribution  of  an  estate,  and  her 
journal  kept  during  the  pilgrimage  is  one  of  the  most 
entertaining  bits  of  description  which  have  come  down 
to  us  from  the  eighteenth  century. 

The  quotation  is  taken  from  her  Journal,  New  York, 
1825. 


Tuesday,  October  ye  third,  .  .  .  About  Three 
afternoon  went  on  with  my  Third  Guide,  who  Rode 
very  hard ;  and  having  crossed  Providence  Ferry, 
we  came  to  a  River  wch  they  Generally  Ride  thro.? 
But  I  dare  not  venture ;  so  the  Post  got  a  Ladd  and 
Cannoo  to  carry  me  to  tether  side,  and  hee  rid  thro7 
and  Led  my  hors.  The  Cannoo  was  very  small  and 
shallow,  so  that  when  wre  were  in  she  seem'd  redy  to 
take  in  water,  which  greatly  terrified  mee,  and  caused 
me  to  be  very  circumspect,  sitting  with  my  hands  fast 
on  each  side,  my  eyes  stedy,  not  daring  so  much  as  to 
lodg  my  tongue  a  hair's  breadth  more  on  one  side  of 
my  mouth  then  tother,  nor  so  much  as  think  on  Lett's 
wife,  for  a  wry  thought  would  have  oversett  our  wherey  : 
But  was  soon  put  out  of  this  pain,  by  feeling  the  Can- 
noo on  shore,  wch  I  as  soon  almost  saluted  with  my 
feet ;  and  Rewarding  my  sculler,  again  mounted  and 
made  the  best  of  our  way  forwards.  The  Rode  here 
was  very  even  and  ye  day  pleasant,  it  being  now  near 
Sunsett.  But  the  Post  told  mee  we  had  neer  14  miles 
to  Ride  to  the  next  Stage,  (where  we  were  to  Lodg.) 
I  askt  him  of  the  rest  of  the  Rode,  foreseeing  wee  must 
travail  in  the  night.  Hee  told  mee  there  was  a  bad 
River  we  were  to  Ride  thro7,  wch  was  so  very  firce  a 
hors  could  sometimes  hardly  stem  it ;  But  it  was  but 
narrow,  and  wee  should  soon  be  over.  I  cannot  ex- 
press The  concern  of  mind  this  relation  sett  me  in  ; 
we  entred  a  Thickett  of  Trees  and  Shrubbs, 


SARAH    KEMBLE    KNIGHT.  25 

and  I  perceived  by  the  Hors's  going,  we  were  on  the 
descent  of  a  Hill,  wch  as  wee  come  nearer  the  bottom, 
'twas  totaly  dark  wth  the  Trees  that  surrounded  it. 
But  I  knew  by  the  Going  of  the  Hors  wee  had  entred 
the  water,  wch  my  Guide  told  mee  was  the  hazzardos 
River  he  had  told  me  off ;  and  hee,  Riding  up  close  to 
my  Side,  Bid  me  not  fear — we  should  be  over  Imedi- 
atly.  .  .  .  So,  as  the  Post  bid  me,  I  gave  Reins  to 
my  Nagg ;  and  sitting  as  Stedy  as  Just  before  in  the 
Cannoo,  in  a  few  minutes  got  safe  to  the  other  side, 
which  hee  told  mee  was  the  Narragansett  country. 

Here  We  found  great  difficulty  in  Travailing,  the 
way  being  very  narrow,  and  on  each  side  the  Trees 
and  bushes  gave  us  very  pleasant  welcomes  wth  their 
Branches  and  bow's,  wch  wee  could  not  avoid,  it  being 
so  exceeding  dark.  .  .  .  I  on  a  sudeu  was  Rous'd 
.  .  .  by  the  Post's  sounding  his  horn,  which  as- 
sured mee  hee  was  arrived  at  the  Stage,  where  we  were 
to  Lodg :  .  .  . 

Being  come  to  mr.  Havens',  I  was  very  civilly  Re- 
ceived, and  courteously  entertained,  in  clean  comforta- 
ble House  ;  and  the  Good  woman  was  very  active  in 
helping  off  my  Riding  clothes,  and  then  askt  what  I 
would  eat.  I  told  her  I  had  some  Chocolett,  if  shee 
would  prepare  it ;  which  with  the  help  of  some  Milk, 
and  a  little  clean  brass  kettle,  she  soon  effected  to  my 
satisfaction.  I  then  betook  me  to  my  Apartment,  w°h 
was  a  little  Room  parted  from  the  Kitchen  by  a  single 
bord  partition;  where,  after  I  had  noted  the  Occur- 
rances  of  the  past  day,  I  went  to  bed,  which,  tho'  pretty 
hard,  Yet  neet  and  handsome.  But  I  could  get  no  sleep, 
because  of  the  Clamor  of  some  of  the  Town  tope-ers  in 
next  Room,  Who  were  entred  into  a  strong  debate  con- 
cerning ye  Signification  of  the  name  of  their  Country, 
(viz.)  Narraganset.  One  said  it  was  named  so  by  ye 
Indians,  because  there  grew  a  Brier  there,  of  a  pro- 
digious Highth  and  bigness,  the  like  hardly  ever  known, 


26  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

called  by  the  Indians  Narragansett ;  And  quotes  an  In- 
dian of  so  Barberous  a  name  for  his  Author,  that  I 
could  not  write  it.  His  Antagonist  Replyed  no — It 
was  from  a  Spring  it  had  its  name,  wch  hee  well  knew 
where  it  was,  which  was  extreem  cold  in  summer,  and 
as  Hott  as  could  be  imagined  in  the  winter,  which  wa& 
much  resorted  too  by  the  natives,  and  by  them  called 
Narragansett,  (Hott  and  Cold,)  and  that  was  the 
originall  of  their  places  name — with  a  thousand  Im- 
pertinances  not  worth  notice,  wch  He  utter'd  with  such 
a  Roreing  voice  and  Thundering  blows  with  the  fist  of 
wickedness  on  the  Table,  that  it  peirced  my  very  head. 
I  heartily  fretted,  and  wish't  7um  tongue  tyed ;  . 
I  set  my  Candle  on  a  Chest  by  the  bed  side,  and  setting 
up,  fell  to  my  old  way  of  composing  my  Resentments, 
in  the  following  manner  : 

I  ask  thy  Aid,  O  Potent  Rum  ! 
To  Charm  these  wrangling  Topers  Dum. 
Thou  hast  their  Giddy  Brains  possest — 
.  The  man  confounded  wth  the  Beast — 
And  I,  poor  I,  can  get  no  rest. 
Intoxicate  them  with  thy  fumes  : 
O  still  their  Tongues  till  morning  comes  ! 

Wednesday,  Octobr  4th.  About  four  in  the  morning, 
we  set  out  for  Kingston  (for  so  was  the  Town  called) 

.  .  This  Rode  was  poorly  furnished  wth  accommo- 
dations for  Travellers,  so  that  we  were  forced  to  ride 
22  miles  by  the  post's  account,  but  neerer  thirty  by 
mine,  before  wee  could  bait  so  much  as  our  Horses, 
wch  I  exceedingly  complained  of.  .  .  .  From  hence 
we  proceeded  .  .  .  through  the  Narragansett  coun- 
try pretty  Leisurely ;  and  about  one  afternoon  come  to- 
Paukataug  River. 


GOVERNOR   SAMUEL   CRANSTOX.  27 

1705.      Governor  Samuel  Cranston. 

Samuel  Cranston  (1659-1727)  was  that  governor  of 
Rhode  Island  under  whom,  it  is  said,  "  the  regime  of 
the  Quaker  was  succeeded  by  that  of  the  world." 
Arnold  says  of  him,  in  his  History  of  Ehode  Island, 
"  He  held  his  position  [as  governor]  probably,  longer 
than  any  other  man  who  had  been  subjected  to  the  test 
of  an  annual  popular  election.  .  .  .  Thirty  times 
successively  chosen  to  the  highest  office,  he  preserved 
his  popularity  amidst-  political  convulsions  that  had 
swept  away  every  other  official  in  the  colony."  The 
following  document,  Cranston's  "Answer  to  a  Circular 
letter  from  the  Board  of  Trade  to  the  Governors  of  the 
English  Colonies,  relative  to  Negro  Slaves/7  is  taken 
from  Bartlett's  Records  of  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Island, 
IV.  54,  55. 

May  it  please  your  Lordships  :  In  obedience  to  your 
Lordships'  commands  of  the  15th  of  April  last,  to  the 
trade  of  Africa. 

We,  having  inspected  into  the  books  of  Her  Majesty's 
custom,  and  informed  ourselves  from  the  proper  officers 
thereof,  by  strict  inquiry,  can  lay  before  your  Lordships 
no  other  account  of  that  trade  than  the  following,  viz.: 

1.  That  from  the  24th  of  June,  1698,  to  the  25th 
of  December,  1707,  we  have  not  had  any  negroes  im- 
ported into  this  colony  from  the  coast  of  Africa,  neither 
on  the  account  of  the  Royal   African  Company,  or  by 
any  of  the  separate  traders. 

2.  That  on  the  30th  of  May,  1696,  arrived  at  this 
port  from  the  coast  of  Africa,  the  brigantine  Seaflower, 
Thomas  Windsor,  master,  having  on   board  her  forty- 


28  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

seven  negroes,  fourteen  of  which  he  disposed  of  in  this 
colony,  for  betwixt  £30  and  £35  per  head ;  the  rest  he 
transported  by  land  for  Boston,  where  his  owners  lived. 

3.  That  on  the  10th  of  August,  the  19th  and  28th 
of  October,   in  the  year  1700,  sailed  from  this  port 
three  vessels,  directly  for  the  coast  of  Africa ;  the  two 
former  were  sloops,  the  one  commanded  by  Nicho's 
Hillgroue,  the  other  by  Jacob  Bill ;  the  last  a  ship, 
commanded  by   Edwin  Carter,    who    was  part  owner 
of  the  said  three  vessels,  in  company  with  Thomas 
Bruster,  and  John  Bales,  merchants,  of  Barbadoes,  and 
separate  traders  from  thence  to  the  coast  of  Africa ;  the 
said  three  vessels  arriving  safe  to  Barbadoes  from  the 
coast  of  Africa,  where  they  made  the  disposition  of 
their  negroes. 

4.  That  we  have  never  had  any  vessels  from   the 
coast  of  Africa  to  this  colony,  nor  any  trade  there,  the 
brigantine  above  mentioned,  excepted. 

5.  That  the  whole  and  only  supply  of  negroes  to 
this  colony,   is  from  the   island  of  Barbadoes ;  from 
whence  is   imported  one  year  with   another,   betwixt 
twenty  and  thirty ;  and  if  those  arrive  well  and  sound, 
the  general  price  is  from  £30  to  £40  per  head. 

According  to  your  Lordships7  desire,  we  have  ad- 
vised with  the  chiefest  of  our  planters,  and  find  but 
small  encouragement  for  that  trade  to  this  colony  ;  since 
by  the  best  computation  we  can  make,  there  would  not 
be  disposed  in  this  colony  above  twenty  or  thirty  at 
the  most,  annually ;  the  reasons  of  which  are  chiefly  to 
be  attributed  to  the  general  dislike  our  planters  have 
for  them,  by  reason  of  their  turbulent  and  unruly 
tempers. 

And  that  most  of  our  planters  that  are  able  and  will- 
ing to  purchase  any  of  them,  are  supplied  by  the  off- 
spring of  those  they  have  already,  which  increase  daily  ; 
and  that  the  inclination  of  our  people  in  general,  is  to 
employ  white  servants  before  negroes. 


COLONEL  ROBERT  QUARY.  29 

Thus  we  have  given  your  Lordships  a  true  and 
faithful  account  of  what  hath  occurred,  relating  to  the 
trade  of  Africa  from  this  colony  ;  and  if,  for  the  future, 
our  trade  should  be  extended  to  those  parts,  we  shall 
not  fail  transmitting  accounts  thereof  to  your  Lord- 
ships' orders,  and  that  at  all  times  be  ready  to  show 
ourselves, 

Your  Lordships7  obedient  servant, 

SAMUEL  CRANSTON,  Governor. 

Newport,  on  Rhode  Island,  December  5,  1708. 


1708.     Colonel  Robert  Quary. 

Colonel  Robert  Quary  (d.  about  1712)  was  gover- 
nor of  South  Carolina  for  a  short  period  in  1684. 
The  encouragement  which  he  gave  to  piracy  induced 
the  proprietor  to  dismiss  him  from  office  in  1685.  He 
was  then  made  secretary  of  the  province,  and  became 
governor  for  the  second  time  about  the  year  1690. 
He  was  afterwards  judge  of  the  admiralty  in  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania,  and  a  sort  of  government  spy 
in  this  country.  The  following  extract  is  taken  from  a 
"  Letter  to  the  Lords  of  Trade,"  found  in  New  York 
Colonial  Documents,  V.  31. 


I  went  hence  to  Rhode  Island,  which  is  a  distinct 
Government,  not  so  populous  as  Connecticut,  but  have 
been  more  ready  in  assisting  their  neighbours  against 
the  publick  enemy  it  is  scituated  betwixt  Connecticut 
Province  and  that  of  New  England,  the  scituation  of 
this  place  is  very  happy  for  Trade,  having  a  very  good 


30  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

harbour,  with  an  easy  &  quick  inlet  from  the  sea,  their 
chief  Trade  is  to  the  West  Indies  but  more  especially 
they  have  a  great  Trade  to  Curacoa  and  Surinam,  the 
Chief  town  of  Trade  is  Newport,  which  is  grown  in 
few  years  to  be  a  great  Town,  mainly  by  illegal  Trade 
to  those  places,  nor  is  it  possible  to  prevent  it  while 
the  Government  is  in  the  Proprietors  hands. 


1 708.     Governor  Samuel  Cranston. 

For  an  account  of  Cranston,  see  above,  p.  27.  The 
following  official  reply  to  the  Board  of  Trade  in  Eng- 
land is  derived  from  Bartlett's  Records  of  the  Colony 
of  Rhode  Island,  IV.  56-58. 


In  answer  to  the  several  particular  matters  set  forth 
and  contained  in  your  said  letter,  in  obedience  to  your 
Lordship's  command,  and  in  compliance  to  said  As- 
sembly's order,  I  shall  here  give  you  the  most  exact 
and  impartial  account  as  I  am  capable  of  relating  the 
said  particulars. 

1.  As  to  the  state  and  condition  of  Her  Majesty's 
colony,  since  the  present  war.  It  has  pleased  the 
Almighty  through  his  infinite  mercy  and  goodness 
(upon  our  endeavors)  to  protect  and  preserve  us  from 
the  assaults  of  the  common  enemy,  though  not  without 
great  charge  and  expense,  in  keeping  and  maintaining 
watches  and  wards  upon  the  sea  coast  of  this  colony, 
and  scouts  upon  the  land  side  into  the  country.  Our 
lying  so  open  to  the  assaults  and  attempts  of  the  enemy 
by  sea,  doth  also  occasion  often  and  frequent  alarms, 
which  doth  also  create  great  charge  and  expense ;  this 


GOVERNOR  SAMUEL  CRANSTON.         31 

colony  are  also  at  considerable  charge  and  trouble  in 
maintaining  (during  the  summer  season)  a  quota  of 
men  at  Block  Island,  for  the  defence  and  safety  thereof. 

2.  As  to  the  strength  and  defence  of  this  colony,  it 
chiefly  consists  (under  the  Providence  of  God)  in  our 
good  look-outs,  our  expeditions  by  sea,  as  aforesaid, 
and  in  our  militia ;  the  which  consists   of  all  males, 
from  sixteen  to  sixty  years  of  age,  who  are  obliged,  at 
their  own   charge,  to  be  always  provided  and  fitted 
with  a  good  firelock  musket  or  fusee,  a  sword  or  bayo- 
net, cartouch-box  with  one  pound  of  good  powder,  and 
four  pounds  of  bullets,  who  are  to  be  ready  upon  any 
alarum  or  other  expedition  or  service,  to  repair  to  their 
ensigns  at  their  respective  places  of  rendezvous,  to  at- 
tend such  orders  as  they  shall  receive  from  their  supe- 
rior officers,  &c.,  the  which  obligations  and  orders  are 
upon  all  occasions,  very  cheerfully  and  readily  obeyed 
and  complied  with ;    ...    In  our  militia,  consists  the 
strength  of  this  colony,  it  being  impossible  for  us  to 
fortify  ourselves  so  as  to  keep  an  enemy  from  entering 
into  our  bay  and  rivers,  or  to  obstruct  their  landing,  in 
most  places  in  the  colony  ;  though  we  have  a  small  fort 
upon  an   island  that  covers  the  harbor  of  Newport, 
which  is  mounted  with  fifteen  pieces  of  ordnance,  from 
six  to  nine  pound  ball,  and  is  a  security  to  our  navi- 
gation, and  the  aforesaid  town,  against  any  small  force. 

3.  As  to  the  administration  of  justice  in  this  colony, 
we  have  two  general  courts  of  trials,  which  are  held  on 
the  last  Tuesday  in   March,  and  the  first   Tuesday  in 
September,   annually ;    at   which    courts  are  tried  all 
actional  and  criminal  causes  happening  within  said  col- 
ony ;  where  the  laws  of  England  are  approved  of,  and 
pleaded  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  without  it  be  in 
some  particular  acts  for  the  prudential  affairs  of  the 
colony,  and  not  repugnant  to  the  laws  of  England. 

4.  As  to  the  number  of  inhabitants  and  servants, 


32  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

with  the  number  of  militia,  &c.,  I  have  herewith  en- 
closed a  list  of  the  same  in  as  true  and  exact  a  manner 
as  I  could  procure  it  from  the  several  towns  in  the  col- 
ony to  which  I  refer  your  Lordships  for  a  full  infor- 
mation. 

5.  As  to  the  trade  and  commerce  of  this  colony,  to 
and  from  what  places,  with  the  number  of  ships  or  ves- 
sels that  have  been  built  here,  and  now  belonging  to 
the  same,  and  the  number  of  seafaring  men,  &c.,  I 
have  herewith  enclosed  another  list,  relating  to  those 
particulars  for  your  Lordships  further  information. 

6.  As  to  what  commodities  [are]  exported  from  this 
colony  to  England,  and  how  said  colony  is  now  sup- 
plied with  any  manufactories  that  it  was  wont  to  be 
supplied  with  from  England. 

This  colony  never  had  any  immediate  or  direct  trade 
to  or  from  England,  nor  any  supply  directly  from  thence, 
but  what  commodities  any  of  the  inhabitants  have  had  to 
export  for  England,  hath  been  exported  by  way  of  Bos- 
ton, where  their  returns  are  also  made,  and  from  whence 
we  have  and  are  chiefly  and  for  the  most  part,  supplied 
with 'the  manufactory  of  England  ;  and  it  is  computed, 
that  not  less  than  £20,000  in  cash  hath  been  annually, 
for  some  years  past,  remitted  from  this  colony  to  Bos- 
ton upon  that  account. 

7.  As  to  the  methods  taken  to  prevent  illegal  trade, 
we  have  a  collector  and  controller  of  Her  Majesty's 
customs  settled  by  the  honorable  the  commissioners  in 
this  colony,  and  a  naval  officer  by  the  Governor,  who 
take  all  due  methods  and  care  they  can,  by  searching 
and  inspecting  the  several  cargoes  imported,  and  putting 
the  several  masters  or  commanders  upon  their  oaths,  &c. 
We  have  had  no  trade  to  any  place  but  Corrico,  that 
could  give  us  any  suspicion  of  illegal  trade  ;  but  that 
trade  is  at  present  wholly  laid  aside  by  our  traders,  so 
that  I  know  of  no  other  place  that  they  have  any  trade 


GOVERNOR  SAMUEL  CRANSTON.        33 

to  or  from,  that  can  give  us  grounds  to  suspect  any 
fraud. 

Your  Lordships  may  assure  yourselves,  that  all  due 
methods  will  be  taken,  as  there  may  be  occasion,  to 
prevent  and  suppress  any  illegal  trade,  that  may  here- 
after be  managed  or  carried  on  by  any  of  our  traders; 
and  that  what  orders  or  directions  we  shall  at  any  time 
receive  from  your  Lordships,  or  the  honorable  the 
commissioners,  relating  to  trade,  shall  and  will  be 
punctually  and  duly  observed  and  complied  with  in  the 
best  manner  and  method  we  are  capable  of. 

8.  As  to  the  number  of  vessels  built  in  this  colony, 
we  are  not  capable  to  inform  your  Lordships,  by  reason 
there  hath  been  no  list  or  memorandum  ever  kept  till 
since  the  act  for  registering  hath  been  in  force,  from 
which  time  you  have  an  exact  account  in  the  enclosed 
list. 

9.  As  to  the  increase  or  decay  of  the  trade  of  this 
colony,  of  late  years,  &c.,  it  doth  appear  that,  about 
twenty  years  past,  we  had  not  above  four  or  five  ves- 
sels that  did  belong  to  this  colony,  which  hath  since 
gradually  increased  to  the  number  of  twenty-nine,  as  is 
set  forth  in  the  list. 

The  reason  of  which  increase  (as  1  apprehend)  is 
chiefly  to  be  attributed  to  the  inclination  the  youth  on 
Rhode  Island  have  to  the  sea.  The  land  on  said 
island,  being  all  taken  up  and  improved  in  small 
farms,  so  that  the  farmers,  as  their  families  increase, 
are  compelled  to  put  or  place  their  children  to  trades 
or  callings ;  but  their  inclinations  being  mostly  to 
navigation,  the  greater  part  betake  themselves  to  that 
employment,  so  that  such  as  are  industrious  and 
thrifty,  as  they  get  a  small  stock  before  hand,  im- 
prove it  in  getting  part  of  a  vessel,  as  many  of  the 
tradesmen  in  the  town  of  Newport  also  doth,  for  the 
benefit  of  their  children  that  are  bred  to  navigation,  in 
which  town  consists  the  chiefest  of  our  navigation  ;  not 


34  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

above  two  or  three  vessels   belong  to  all   the  colony 
besides. 

One  other  cause  of  the  increase  of  our  trade  is,  that 
it  has  pleased  God  to  protect  them  from  the  hands  of 
the  enemy,  so  that  they  have  not  lost  above  two  or 
three  vessels  taken  this  war,  they  being  light  and  sharp 
for  runners;  so  that  very  few  of  the  enemy's  privateers, 
in  a  gale  of  wind,  will  run  or  outsail  one  of  our  vessels. 


1729.     Bishop  Berkeley. 

George  Berkeley  (1684-1753),  afterward  Bishop  of 
Cloyne,  was,  at  the  time  when  he  wrote  the  following 
letter,  Dean  of  Derry.  It  was  perhaps  characteristic 
of  Berkeley's  philosophizing  temperament  that  he  should 
look  upon  the  wastes  of  America  as  a  fitting  environ- 
ment for  the  development  of  his  educational  and  re- 
ligious ideals.  He  obtained  a  charter  and  subscriptions 
for  the  foundation  of  a  college,  which  he  hoped  eventu- 
ally to  found  at  Bermuda.  In  January,  1729,  he  came 
to  Newport,  and  remained  until  the  autumn  of  1731. 
He  bought  a  farm  of  ninety-six  acres  and  built  a  small 
house,  which  he  called  Whitehall.  Here  he  read  and 
meditated,  and,  naturally,  left  his  impress  upon  the 
minds  of  the  intelligent  and  educated  people  of  New- 
port. The  letter  cited,  written  to  his  friend  Thomas 
Prior,  founder  of  the  Dublin  Society,  is  taken  from 
Eraser's  edition  of  his  Works,  IV.  160. 


BISHOP    BERKELEY.  35 

Newport,  in  Rhode  Island, 

April  24,  1729. 
Dear  Tom, 

I  can  by  this  time  say  something  to  you,  from  my 
own  experience,  of  this  place  and  people. 

The  inhabitants  are  of  a  mixed  kind,  consisting  of 
many  sorts  and  subdivisions  of  sects.  Here  are  four 
sorts  of  Anabaptists,  besides  Presbyterians,  Quakers, 
Independents,  and  many  of  no  profession  at  all.  Not- 
withstanding so  many  differences,  here  are  fewer  quar- 
rels about  religion  than  elsewhere,  the  people  living 
peaceably  with  their  neighbours,  of  whatever  profession. 
They  all  agree  in  one  point,  that  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land is  the  second  best.  The  climate  is  like  that  of 
Italy,  and  not  at  all  colder  in  the  winter  than  I  have 
known  it  every  where  north  of  Rome.  The  Spring  is 
late ;  but,  to  make  amends,  they  assure  me  the  autumns 
are  the  finest  and  longest  in  the  world,  and  the  sum- 
mers are  much  pleasanter  than  those  of  Italy  by  all  ac- 
counts, forasmuch  as  the  grass  continues  green,  which 
it  doth  not  there.  This  island  is  pleasantly  laid  out  in 
hills  and  vales  and  rising  grounds ;  hath  plenty  of  ex- 
cellent springs  and  fine  rivulets,  and  many  delightful 
landscapes  of  rocks  and  promontories  and  adjacent 
islands.  The  provisions  are  very  good;  so  are  the 
fruits,  which  are  quite  neglected,  tho'  vines  sprout  up 
of  themselves  to  an  extraordinary  size,  and  seem  as 
natural  to  this  soil  as  to  any  I  ever  saw.  The  town  of 
Newport  contains  about  six  thousand  souls,  and  is  the 
most  thriving  flourishing  place  in  all  America  for  its 
bigness.  It  is  very  pretty  and  pleasantly  situated.  I 
was  never  more  agreeably  surprised  than  at  the  sight 
of  the  town  and  its  harbour.  I  could  give  you  some 
hints  that  may  be  of  use  to  you  if  you  were  disposed  to 
take  advice  ;  but  of  all  men  in  the  world,  I  never  found 
encouragement  to  give  you  any. 


36  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

1732.     Bishop  Berkeley. 

The  following  passage  is  quoted  from  a  sermon 
preached  by  Berkeley  before  the  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts ;  Works,  ed. 
Fraser,  III.  242-244. 


Rhode  Island,  with  a  portion  of  the  adjacent  Conti- 
nent under  the  same  government,  is  inhabited  by  an 
English  Colony,  consisting  chiefly  of  sectaries  of  many 
different  denominations,  who  seem  to  have  worn  off 
part  of  that  prejudice  which  they  inherited  from  their 
ancestors  against  the  national  Church  of  this  land ; 
though  it  must  be  acknowledged  at  the  same  time,  that 
too  many  of  them  have  worn  off  a  serious  sense  of  all 
religion.  Several  indeed  of  the  better  sort  are  accus- 
tomed to  assemble  themselves  regularly  on  the  Lord's 
day  for  the  performance  of  divine  worship ;  but  most . 
of  those  who  are  dispersed  throughout  this  colony  seem 
to  rival  some  well-bred  people  of  other  countries  in  a 
thorough  indifference  for  all  that  is  sacred,  being 
equally  careless  of  outward  worship,  and  of  inward 
principles,  whether  of  faith  or  practice.  Of  the  bulk 
of  them  it  may  certainly  be  said  that  they  live  without 
the  sacraments,  not  being  so  much  as  baptized  :  and  as 
for  their  morals,  I  apprehend  there  is  nothing  to  be 
found  in  them  that  should  tempt  others  to  make  an 
experiment  of  their  principles,  either  in  religion  or 
government.  But  it  must  be  owned,  the  general  beha- 
viour of  the  inhabitants  in  those  towns  where  churches 
and  meetings  have  been  long  settled  and  regularly  at- 
tended seems  so  much  better  as  sufficiently  to  show  the 
difference  which  a  solemn  regular  worship  of  God 


BISHOP    BERKELEY.  37 

makes  between  persons  of  the  same  blood,  temper,  and 
natural  faculties. 

The  native  Indians,  who  are  said  to  have  been  for- 
merly many  thousands,  within  the  compass  of  this 
colony,  do  not  at  present  amount  to  one  thousand,  in- 
cluding every  age  and  sex.  And  these  are  either  all 
servants  and  laborers  for  the  English,  who  have  con- 
tributed more  to  destroy  their  bodies  by  the  use  of 
strong  liquors  than  by  any  means  to  improve  their' 
minds  or  save  their  souls.  This  slow  poison,  jointly 
operating  with  the  small-pox,  and  their  wars  (but  much 
more  destructive  than  both),  have  consumed  the  In- 
dians, not  only  in  our  Colonies,  but  also  far  and  wide 
upon  our  confines.  And,  having  made  havoc  of  them, 
is  now  doing  the  same  thing  by  those  who  taught  them 
that  odious  vice. 

The  negroes  in  the  government  of  Rhode  Island  are 
about  half  as  many  more  than  the  Indians ;  and  both 
together  scarce  amount  to  a  seventh  part  of  the  whole 
Colony.  The  religion  of  these  people,  as  is  natural  to 
suppose,  takes  after  that  of  their  masters.  Some  few 
are  baptized  ;  several  frequent  the  different  assemblies  : 
and  far  the  greater  part  none  at  all.  An  ancient  antip- 
athy to  the  Indians — whom,  it  seems,  our  first  planters 
(therein  as  in  certain  other  particulars  affecting  to  imi- 
tate Jews  rather  than  Christians)  imagined  they  had  a 
right  to  treat  on  the  foot  of  Canaanites  or  Amalekites 
— together  with  an  irrational  contempt  of  the  blacks, 
as  creatures  of  another  species,  who  had  no  right  to 
be  instructed  or  admitted  to  the  sacraments — have 
proved  a  main  obstacle  to  the  conversion  of  these  poor 
people. 

To  this  may  be  added,  an  erronious  notion  that  the 
being  baptized  is  inconsistent  with  a  state  of  slavery. 
To  undeceive  them  in  this  particular,  which  had  too 
much  weight,  it  seemed  a  proper  step,  if  the  opinion  of 


38  PICTUKES    OF    EHODE    ISLAND. 

his  Majesty's  Attorney  and  Solicitor-General  could  be 
procured.  This  opinion  they  charitably  sent  over, 
signed  with  their  own  hands  ;  which  was  accordingly 
printed  in  Rhode  Island,  and  dispersed  throughout  the 
Plantations.  I  heartily  wish  it  may  produce  the  in- 
tended effect. 


1739.     Rev.  John  Callender. 

The  Rev.  John  Callender  (1706-1740)  became,  in 
1728,  the  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Swansey, 
and,  in  1731,  was  called  to  the  Baptist  Church  in  New- 
port, where  he  remained  until  his  death.  In  1739,  he 
published  An  Historical  Discourse  on  the  Civil  and  Re- 
ligious Affairs  of  the  Colony  of  Rhode-Island  and  Provi- 
dence Plantations,  in  New-England,  in  America ,  From 
the  First  Settlement,  1638,  to  the  End  of  the  First  Cen- 
tury. This  is  usually  known  as  his  "  Centennial  Dis- 
course. "  The  following  extract  is  from  p.  19  of  the 
Discourse. 


In  1730  the  Inhabitants  of  the  whole  Island  were 
Five  Thousand  four  Hundred  and  Fifty  Eight,  and  of 
this  Town  [Newport]  Four  Thousand  six  Hundred  and 
Forty,  who  are  no  doubt  by  this  Time  increased  to  Five 
Thousand  Souls. 

The  Trade  and  Business  of  the  Town  at  the  first, 
was  but  very  little,  and  inconsiderable,  consisting  only 
of  a  little  Corn  and  Pork  and  Tobacco,  sent  to  Boston, 
for  a  few  European  and  other  Goods,  they  could  not 


REV.    JOHN    CALLEXDER.  39 

subsist  without,  and  all  at  the  Mercy  of  the  Traders 
there  too.* 

At  present  there  are  above  one  Hundred  Sail  of 
Vessels  belonging  to  this  Town,  besides  what  belong  to 
the  rest  of  the  Colony.  GOD  grant,  that  as  we  increase 
in  Numbers  and  Riches,  we  may  not  increase  in  Sin 
and  Wickedness ;  but  that  we  may  rather  be  lead,  by 
the  divine  Goodness,  to  reform  whatever  may  have 
been  amiss  or  wanting  in  us. 

there  are  at  this  Time,  seven  worshipping  Assemblies, 
Churches  of  Societies,  in  this  Town,  besides  a  large  one 
of  the  People  called  Quakers,  at  Portsmouth,  the  other 
Part  of  the  Island.  . 

There  are  in  the  nine  Towns  on  the  main  Land  eight 
Churches  of  the  People  called  Baptists,  one  in  every 
Town,  except  Greenwich,  where  there  is  however  a 
Meeting  House  in  which  there  is  a  Meeting  once  a 
Month. 

Of  the  People  called  Quakers  there  are  seven  Meet- 
ing Houses  on  the  main  Land,  and  one  at  James-Town 
on  Conanicut  Island;  and  a  constant  Meeting  at  West- 
erly, iho'  no  Meeting  House  yet  erected. 

There  are  four  episcopal  Churches  on  the  Main,  one 
at  Providence,  .  .  .  and  one  at  North- Kingston, 
.  besides  one  at  Westerly,  and  one  on  the  Edge 
of  Warwick,  adjoining  to  East-Greenwich,  which  are  oc- 
casionally supply'd  by  the  Missionaries  at  other  Towns. 

There  are  three  Presbyterian  or  Congregational 
Churches  at  Providence,  South-Kingston  &  Westerly. 

*  Perhaps  it  may  be  agreable  to  some  Persons,  to  observe,  that 
about  1660,  and  many  Years  after,  Provision  Pay  was  100  per  Cent. 
beneath  Sterling  Money.  In  1687  the  Prices  of  Goods  set  to  pay 
Taxes  in,  were,  Wool  8d.  per  Pound,  Butter  4d.  Indian  Corn  Is.  6d. 
per  Bushel.  If  the  Tax  was  paid  in  Money,  then  there  was  to  be  an 
Allowance  or  Abatement  of  one  sixth  Part,  and  that  perhaps  will 
nearly  give  the  true  current  Price,  of  those  kinds  of  Provisions,  at 
that  Time. 


40  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

1739.     Modern  History. 

The  book  from  which  this  quotation  is  taken  is  the 
twenty-sixth  volume  of  a  series  entitled  Modern  History : 
or  the  Present  State  of  All  Nations.  It  was  published 
at  Dublin,  in  1739,  by  Herman  Moll,  a  noted  English 
geographer  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  extract  is 
found  on  p.  307. 


As  to  the  state  of  religion  in  Rhode-Island  colony,  a 
gentleman  of  considerable  interest  there  gives  me  this 
account  of  it.  He  says,  they  are  a  very  free  people  in 
that  respect.  They  consist  of  episcopalians,  presby- 
terians,  anabaptists  and  quakers,  but  the  quakers  are 
now  the  most  considerable,  their  present  governor,  John 
Wanton,  esq  ;  being  a  quaker,  as  are  also  several  of  the 
council  and  house  of  representatives  ;  and  as  they  are 
principled  for  a  free  ministry  of  the  gospel,  so  conse- 
quently there  is  no  forced  maintenance  in  the  colony  for 
the  ministry  of  any  persuasion,  but  every  different 
society  that  are  for  maintaining  a  preacher  do  it  volun- 
tarily by  contribution  or  subscription.  .  .  . 

There  is  a  stage  wagon  which  goes  from  Boston  to 
Newport  in  Rhode-Island,  being  seventy  miles.  Gen- 
tlemen also  have  coaches  and  chaises,  but  they  travel 
most  commonly  on  horseback.  And  there  are  inns  on 
the  roads  as  well  provided  for  the  entertainment  of 
travellers  as  those  of  Old-England. 


CAPTAIN    WILLIAM    CHANDLER.  41 

1741.     Captain  William  Chandler. 

Captain  William  Chandler  (d.  1754)  was  an  inhabi- 
tant of  Woodstock,  of  Killingly,  and  of  Thompson, 
Connecticut,  a  surveyor,  and  a  justice  of  the  peace. 
He  was  the  father  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Bradbury 
Chandler,  the  well-known  Episcopalian  and  Tory  con- 
troversialist, of  Elizabeth,  New  Jersey,  bishop-desig- 
nate of  Nova  Scotia.  Captain  Chandler's  effusion  is 
here  copied  from  a  rare  broadside  in  the  possession  of 
the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society,  entitled  "  A  Jour- 
nal of  a  Survey  of  Narragansett  Bay,  made  in  May  and 
June,  1741,  by  Order  of  Royal  Commissioners,  by  One 
of  the  Surveyors."  It  has  been  reprinted  in  the  Nar- 
ragansett Historical  Register,  IV.  1 . 


These  Lines  below,  describe  a  just  Survey 
Of  all  the  Coasts,  along  the  '  Gansett  Bay  ; 
Therefore  attend,  and  quickly  you  shall  know 
Where  it  begins,  and  how  far  it  doth  go. 
From  Pawcatuck,  we  steer' d  our  Course  away, 
And  to  Watch  Hill  we  went  without  delay ; 
Which  gave  a  Prospect  of  the  Neighboring  Shore 
And  distant  Isles,  where  foaming  billows  roar. 
Here  Fisher's  Isle  appears,  and  looks  just  by 
And  Montauk  Point  we  plainly  could  descry ; 
Block,  Island  also  near  us  did  appear, 
We  took  our  Course,  and  how  each  Place  did  bear. 
From  hence  our  Course  did  lead  us  on  the  Sands. 
"The  utmos.t  Bounds  the  Billows  here  Commands, 
Whose  raging  Waves  caress  the  Beach  and  Shore 
With  endless  Motion  and  a  murmuring  Roar : 


42  PICTURES   OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

Then  passing  o'er  the  Breaches  in  our  way 

Made  by  the  Surges  of  the  raging  Sea. 

Where  in  the  Land  Calm  Ponds  we  here  espy'd 

Which  rise  and  fall  exactly  with  the  Tide. 

Within  these  Ponds  are  Fish  of  various  Kind, 

Which  much  delight  and  please  both  Taste  and  Mind. 

And  many  Fowls  the  Industrious  Archer  gains, 

Which  amply  doth  Reward  his  Time  and  Pains, 

(Here  in  a  Pond,  our  Caution  to  oppose 

A  Horse  did  launch  and  wet  his  Owners  Cloaths 

The  frightened  jade  soon  tacked  himself  about 

Which  made  us  laugh  as  soon  as  he  came  out.) 

Then  round  Point  Judith  which  was  in  our  way 

The  Courses  there,  and  Length  we  did  Survey, 

Then  Boston  Neck  along  that  pleasant  Shore 

We  next  surveyed,  and  found  how  each  part  bore ; 

( Connanicutt  we  also  viewed  full  well, 

And  other  Parts  too  tedious  here  to  tell.) 

Went  on  this  shore,  round  points  of  Lands  and  Coves 

Thro'  various  Fields  and  most  delightful  Groves, 

From  hence  along  unto  North  Kingston  shore 

Crossing  tjie  Meads,  which  Verdant  Greens  now  wore. 

And  then  for  Greenwich  next,  we  shap'd  our  way, 

(Passing  more  Islands  which  lie  in  the  Bay, 

As  Hope  and  Prudence  that  most  pleasant  Isle 

And  Patience  also,  a  most  fruitful  Soil.) 

Crossing  a  Harbour,  we  came  to  the  Town 

Which  seems  to  be  a  Place  of  great  Renown, 

For  Liberty  of  Conscience  they  take 

Here's  Church  and  Baptist,  also  those  that  Quake. 

From  hence  we  went  along  with  our  Survey 

By  various  Turns  and  came  to  Warwick  Bay 

And  in  that  Town  did  of  their  Dainties  eat 

And  in  soft  slumbers  passed  the  Night  with  Sleep. 

Here  neighbouring  Orchards  in  their  verdant  Blooms 

The  gentle  Air  sweetens  with  their  Perfumes ; 


CAPTAIN    WILLIAM    CHANDLER.  43 

Which  pleasing  Prospect  did  attract  our  sight 

And  charm'd  our  Sense  of  smelling  with  Delight. 

From  hence  we  went  on  our  Survey  again 

By  fertile  Meads  which  join  the  wat'ry  Main. 

Turning  more  Points,  and  passing  on  our  way 

Came  to  a  Place  on  which  a  Dead  Man  lay, 

A  dreadful  sight  it  was,  our  Blood  run  chill 

It  damp't  our  joys  and  made  our  Spirits  thrill, 

Ah  !  what  is  Man  ?  when  he  by  Nature's  Laws 

Is  fallen  a  Prey  to  Death's  relentless  Paws 

But  vanity  ?     His  mortal  Part  I  mean 

But  stop  my  Muse  and  quit  this  mournful  Theme. 

From  hence  by  Fields,  and  now  and  then  a  Ridge 

We  came  at  length  unto  Pawinxeit  Bridge, 

The  Southern  Bounds  which  Providence  does  claim 

And  does  divide  fine  Warwick  from  the  same. 

Passing  along  still  by  the  flowing  Tide 

The  famous  town  of  Providence  we  spy'd, 

To  which  we  came,  viewing  how  Nature  made 

(With  Art  allied)  this  for  a  Place  of  Trade. 

This  Pleasant  Town  does  border  on  the  Flood 

Here's  neighbouring  Orchards,  &  more  back  the  Wood, 

Here's  full  supply  to  chear  our  hungry  Souls 

Sr.  Richard  (strong)  as  well  as  Wine  in  Bowls. 

Here  Men  may  soon  any  Religion  find 

Which  quickly  brought  brave  Holland  to  my  Mind. 

For  here  like  them,  one  with  the  greatest  ease 

May  suit  himself,  or  quit  all  if  He  please. 

Our  haste  in  Business  call'd  us  from  this  Town 

By  Seaconk  shore,  away  to  Harrington 

Passing  that  Ferry,  something  did  accrue 

Which  the  next  Lines,  shall  give  unto  your  view, 

Here  jumping  out  our  Horses  from  the  Boat 

One  blundering  sprang  which  rais'd  up  each  Man's  note 

And  tumbling  o'er  the  Horse  fell  on  his  Back 

Into  the  Deep  and  wet  his  Master's  Pack. 


44  PICTURES   OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

For  Bristol  Town  we  shap'd  our  Course  away 

And  Poppcissquash  we  quickly  did  survey, 

But  on  this  shore  we  turned  a  while  to  rove, 

And  went  to  Vial's  and  walk'd  thro'  his  Grove. 

This  charming  Place  was  neat  and  clean,  a  Breese 

Attend  the  shade  made  by  black  cherry  Trees, 

On  either  side  a  Row  of  large  extent 

And  nicely  shading  every  step  We  went : 

Methinks  young  Lovers  here  with  open  Arms 

Need  no  young  Cupids  to  inspire  their  Charms, 

For  what  can  raise  the  Nymphs  or  Swains  to  love 

In  sweet  Caresses,  sooner  than  this  Grove. 

From  hence  (with  Air)  we  pass  thro7  Bristol  streets 

Where  Generous  Hearts  did  give  their  liberal  Treats, 

Yet  soon  we  found  one  of  another  Mould 

For  here  a  Crabbed  jade  did  at  us  Scold, 

Her  grevePd  Notes  yet  made  some  of  us'  smile 

Whose  impeous  Talk  was  near  to  Prattle  Isle, 

Which  Place  we  named  to  memorise  this  Scold 

And  for  her  sake  this  story  I  have  toJd. 

Now  next  we  took  our  Course  to  Castle  Isle 

And  passed  away  soon  from  this  pleasant  Soil 

Finding  exactly  how  Hog-Island  bore 

With  Course  and  Distance  to  Aquetnett  shore. 

Mount  Hope  from  hence  we  plainly  now  espy'd 

Which  was  hard  by,  or  near  the  flowing  Tide, 

To  which  we  came  taking  the  Courses  here 

To  neighbouring  shores,  and  Islands  that  are  near. 

Turning  aside  we  saw  the  Royal  Spring 

Which  once  belonged  unto  an  Indian  King, 

To  chear  our  Hearts  we  drank  the  cooling  stream 

In  memory  of  Philip  and  his  Queen. 

Next  we  ascended  Philip's  Royal  Seat 

Where  he  was  slain,  and  all  his  Armies  beat 

We  saw  the  Place  where  quartered  he  did  hang, 

Where  joyful  notes  of  Praise  those  Victors,  sang. 


CAPTAIN    WILLIAM    CHANDLER.  45 

Upon  this  Mount  the  wandering  Eye  may  gaze 

On  distant  Floods,  as  well  as  neighbouring  Bays 

Where  with  one  Glance  appears  Ten  Thousand  charms 

With  fruitful  Islands,  and  most  fertile  Farms. 

Now  from  this  Mount  we  went  (like  Men  well  skilPd) 

By  Flocks  and  Herds  which  verdant  Pastures  fill'd, 

Unto  Assont  took  the  Distance  here 

And  turned  about  new  Courses  now  to  steer. 

From  hence  we  went  by  various  Towns  in  haste, 

And  by  Rhode-Island  shore  we  also  past 

Where  every  Turn  and  Cove  We  noted  down 

Shaping  our  Courses  unto  Seconet  Town, 

When  we  came  near  that  pleasant  place  and  soil 

I  heard  a  story  which  will  make  you  smile. 

A  worthy  Friend  who  lately  had  great  Losses 

Amongst  his  stock,  but  chiefly  in  his  Horses, 

By  evil  Men,  who  haunts  his  Fields  by  night 

When  he's  from  home  and  kills  them  out  of  spight, 

This  Friend  relates  (whose  Daughter  was  before  me) 

With  chearful  Air  the  following  Famous  Story  : 

"  One  Evening  clear  (said  he)  she  took  up  Arms 

"  Laying  aside  a  while  her  A^irgin  Charms. 

tl  And  walk'd  abroad  some  of  my  Fields  to  view, 

"  The  Flocks  and  Herds,  to  see  what  would  ensue 

"  Tlien  instantly  with  Courage  being  inspired 

"  She  at  an  Armed  Rogue  her  Pistol  fir'd 

"  Crying  aloud  you  Wretch  begone  from  hence, 

"  Or  stand  and  fight  me  in  your  own  Defence. 

"  But  guilty  Creature,  he  took  to  his  Heels 

"  And  left  this  Maiden  in  the  Conquered  Fields 

"  Who  joy'd  awhile  for  this  brave  Action  done, 

"  And  then  return'd  unto  her  Peaceful  Home." 

From  hence  we  passed  along  Seconet  Shore, 

Unto  its  Point  where  Dreadful  Billows  roar, 

Whose  rolling  Waves  come  tumbling  from  the  main 

And  kiss  the  Shore  and  then  retire  again. 


46  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

Here  may  the  Eye  survey  the  tossing  Sea 
And  sport  the  sight  with  Ships  that  sailing  be 
Upon  this  Coast,  which  coine  from  distant  Lands ; 
And  then  may  turn  and  view  the  Beach  and  Sands, 
True  Gratitude  forbids  I  should  be  mute, 
Where  Generous  Souls,  our  Spirits  do  Recruit. 
Now  sure,  this  Town  deserves  our  best  of  Praise, 
Since  none  more  strived  our  Spirits  soon  to  raise. 
But  stop  my  Muse,  let's  haste  on  our  Survey 
And  stretch  our  coast  along  the  Eastward  Bay. 
So  then  from  thence  we  measured  by  the  Sands 
An  Eastward  Course  along  those  Pleasant  Lands, 
And  came  to  Dartmouth  a  most  liberal  Town 
Whose  liquid  Treats  their  generous  Actions  crown, 
Here  is  the  place  where  we  did  end  our  Works 
Here  we  left  oif,  (and  did  it  with  a  jirk) 
And  then  retired  our  Field  Book  for  to  scan, 
And  of  this  large  Survey  to  make  a  Plan. 

w.  c. 


1741.      Rev.  John  Checkley. 

The  Rev.  John  Checkley  (1680-1754),  born  in 
Boston,  and  celebrated  for  his  violent  controversies 
with  the  Congregational  clergy  of  that  town  and  his 
persecution,  or  at  least  prosecution,  on  that  account, 
was  from  1739  rector  of  King's  Church,  in  Providence, 
now  St.  John's.  He  had  travelled  extensively  in 
Europe,  and  was  fond  of  collecting  paintings,  rare 
books  and  manuscripts.  He  is  spoken  of  by  writers  in 
the  early  part  of  the  present  century  as  one  of  the  wits 
of  his  time,  and  his  bon-mots  and  witticisms  were  cur- 


REV.    JOHN    CHECKLEY.  47 

rent  for  a  whole  generation  after  his  death.  He  was 
universally  beloved  by  his  parishioners  and  by  his  fel- 
low-townsmen. The  extract  given  here  is  taken  from 
Checkley's  "Notitia  Parochialis,"  appended  to  the 
second  volume  of  Dr.  E.  F.  Slafter's  life  of  him,  Vol. 
XXIV.  of  the  Prince  Society  Publications,  pp.  197, 
198. 

NOTITIA   PAROCHIALIS. 

1.  Number  of  Inhabitants, 

In  the  towns  out  of  which  my  Parishioners  come 
(I  mean  those  who  frequent  my  church)  about  four- 
teen thousand  people. 

2.  No.  of  the  Baptized. 

Impossible  to  tell.  But  I  conjecture  that  in 
Providence  not  One  in  Ten,  and  in  three  Towns 
above  Providence  not  one  in  thirty. 

3.  No.  of  adult  persons  baptized  this  half  year. 

One. 

4.  No.  of  actual  Communicants  of  the  Ch.  of  England. 

Thirty-seven. 

5.  No.  of  those  who  profess  themselves  of  the  Ch.  of 

England. 
About  two  hundred. 

6.  No.  of  Dissenters  of  all  sorts,  particularly  papists. 

About  eight  Thousand,  &  much  to  be  feared  one 
half  of  them  Infidels.  Some  few  papists,  wTho  I  be- 
lieve harbour  many  others  in  Disguize. 

7.  No.  of  Heathens  &  Infidels. 

About  six  Thousand,  and  a  round  number  of  them 
Atheists,  as  far  as  wretched  man  can  be  such. 

8.  No.  of  Converts  from  a  prophane,  disorderly  and 

unchristian  Course  of  Life,  to  a  Life  of  Christian 
purity,  meekness  and  Charity. 
Two. 


48  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

1720.     Rev.   Daniel  Neal. 

Neal  (1678-1743)  is  best  known  as  the  historian  of 
the  Puritans.  The  History  of  New  England — his  first 
work — was  published  in  London,  in  1720,  and  had  a 
warmly  favorable  reception  in  America.  Harvard  con- 
ferred the  honorary  degree  of  M.  A.  upon  the  author. 
It  would  seem  to  be  a  conscientious  and  painstaking 
work.  The  extract  given  is  taken  from  the  second 
edition,  London,  1747,  IT.  233. 


Providence  and  Warwick,  two  large  Towns  in  the 
Narrhaganset  County  upon  the  Continent,  are  under 
this  Government  [Rhode  Island]  and  have  the  least 
Appearance  of  Order  of  any  Towns  in  New-England. 
The  Inhabitants  of  these  Places  are  likewise  the 
Descendants  of  those  Sectaries  who  were  banished  the 
Massachusetts  Jurisdiction  between  the  year  1630  and 
1640,  .  .  .  ,  but  they  now  live  in  great  Amity  with 
their  Neighbours,  and  though  every  Man  does  what  he 
thinks  right  in  his  own  Eyes,  it  is  rare  that  any  notor- 
ious Crimes  are  committed  by  them,  which  may  be 
attributed  in  some  Measure  to  their  great  Veneration 
for  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  they  read  from  the  least 
to  the  greatest,  though  they  have  neither  Ministers  nor 
Magistrates  to  recommend  it  to  them.  They  have  an 
Aversion  to  all  Sorts  of  Taxes,  as  the  Inventions  of 
Men  to  support  Hirelings,  as  they  call  all  such  Magis- 
trates and  Ministers  as  won't  serve  them  for  nothing. 
They  are  very  hospitable  to  Strangers ;  a  Traveller 
passing  through  these  Towns  may  call  at  any  House 
with  the  same  Liberty  as  if  he  were  in  an  Inn,  and  be 
kindly  entertained  with  the  best  they  have  for  nothing. 


REV.    DR.    JAMES    MACSPARRAN.  49 

The  raising  of  Cattle,  and  making  Butter  and  Cheese 
is  their  chief  Employ,  by  which  they  have  very  much 
enriched  themselves.  The  Society  for  propagating  the 
Gospel  after  the  Manner  of  the  Church  of  England 
have  lately  planted  a  Missionary  in  these  Parts  (viz.) 
the  Reverend  Mr.  Guy,  to  whom  they  allow  70  /.  per 
Annum.  .  .  . 

the  Inhabitants  [of  Newport]  begin  now  to  be  more 
civilized,  since  there  have  been  two  Churches  in  the 
Island,  one  according  to  the  New-English  Model,  the 
other  according  to  the  Church  of  England;  of  which 
latter  the  Rev.  Mr.  Honeyman  is  the  present  Incum- 
bent, to  whom  the  Society  for  propagating  the  Gospel 
in  foreign  Parts  allow  55  L  per  Annum. 


1752.     Rev.  Dr.  James    MacSparran. 

Dr.  MacSparran  (d.  1 757)  was  an  out-spoken,  but 
extremely  diverting  missionary  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, who  officiated  as  clergyman  at  St.  Paul's  Church, 
Narragansett,  from  1721  until  his  death. 

At  one  time  his  parish  contained  Bristol,  Freetown, 
Swansey,  and  Little  Compton.  He  was  much  inter- 
ested in  the  establishment  of  St.  John's  (then  King's) 
Church,  in  Providence.  His  zeal  for  his  mission  work, 
his  laudable  endeavors  to  improve  his  own  worldly  con- 
dition, and  his  keen  appreciation  of  his  own  merits  and 
his  neighbors'  deficiencies,  form  a  most  attractive  com- 
bination. This  quotation  is  from  his  America  Dissected 
(written  in  1752,  published  in  1753),  pp.  27  et  seq., 
reprinted  in  Updike's  Narragansett  Church.  His  letter- 
book,  1743-1751,  has  just  been  printed. 


50  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

The  next  Region  that  rises  to  View  is  the  little  Col- 
ony of  Rhode-Island,  &c.  where  Providence  has  fixed 
me,  and  where  I  have  resided  in  Quality  of  Missionary 
thirty-one  Years  last  April.  .  .  .  This  little  District 
.  .  .  contains  about  1,024,000  Acres,  and  is  peopled 
with  about  30,000  Inhabitants,  young  and  old,  white 
and  black.  .  .  .In  Connecticut  I  observed  to  you 
that  Independency  was  the  Religion  of  the  State ;  but 
in  Rhode-Island  no  Religion  is  established.  There  a 
Man  may,  with  Impunity,  be  of  any  Society,  or  of  none 
at  all ;  but  the  Quakers  are,  for  the  most  part,  the  Peo- 
ple in  Power.  .  .  .no  sooner  did  their  Preachers  ap- 
pear in  Rhode-Island,  but  they  found  many  of  the  Pos- 
terity of  the  first  Planters  too  well  prepared  for  the 
Reception  of  pestilent  Heresy.  The  twenty-four  Years 
that  had  run  out  from  their  first  Removal  from  England, 
and  the  seventeen  that  had  elapsed  from  their  second 
Settlement  at  Rhode-Island,  had  carried  off  the  Stage  of 
Life  most  of  those  who  received  the  first  Rudiments  of 
Religion  in  the  Mother  Country.  Their  Descendants 
and  Successors,  without  Schools,  without  a  regular 
Clergy,  became  necessarily  rude  and  illiterate ;  and,  as 
Quakerism  prevailed,  Learning  \vas  decried,  Ignorance 
and  Heresy  so  increased,  that  neither  Epiphanius's,  nor 
Sir  Richard  Blackmore's  Catalogues,  contain  more  het- 
erodox and  different  Opinions  in  Religion  than  were  to 
be  found  in  this  little  Corner.  ...  In  1700,  after 
Quakerism  and  other  Heresies  had,  in  their  Turns, 
ruled  over  and  tinged  all  the  Inhabitants  for  the  Space 
of  forty-six  Years,  the  Church  of  England,  that  had 
been  lost  here  through  the  Neglect  of  the  Crown,  en- 
tered as  it  were,  unobserved  and  unseen,  and  yet  not 
without  some  Success.  A  little  Church  was  built  in 
Newport,  the  Metropolis  of  the  Colony,  in  1702,  and 
that  in  which  I  officiate  in  Narragansett,  in  1707. 

There  have  been  two  Incumbents  before  me ;   but 


REV.    DR.    JAMES    MACSPARRAN.  51 

neither  of  them  had  resolution  enough  to  grapple  with 
the  Difficulties  of  this  Mission,  above  a  Year  a-piece. 
I  entered  upon  this  Mission  in  1721  ;  and  found  the 
people,  not  a  Tabula  rasa,  or  clean  Sheet  of  Paper, 
upon  which  I  might  make  any  Impressions  I  pleased ; 
but  a  Field  full  of  Briars  and  Thorns,  and  noxious 
weeds,  that  were  all  to  be  eradicated,  before  I  could 
implant  in  them  the  Simplicity  of  Truth.  However, 
by  God's  Blessing,  I  have  brought  over  to  the  Church 
some  Hundreds,  and,  among  the  Hundreds  I  have 
baptized,  there  are  at  least  150  who  received  the  Sac- 
rament at  my  Hands,  from  twenty  years  old,  to  seventy 
or  eighty.  Ex  Pede  Herculem.  By  this,  you  may 
guess  in  how  uncultivated  a  Country  my  Lot  fell.  By 
my  Excursions,  and  Out-Labours,  a  Church  is  built  25 
Miles  to  the  Westward  of  me,  but  not  now  under  my 
Care ;  another  16  Miles  to  the  Northward  of  me, 
where  I  officiate  once  a  Month ;  and,  at  a  Place  six 
Miles  farther  off,  on  the  Saturday  before  that  monthly 
Sunday.  I  gathered  a  Congregation  at  a  Place  called 
New- Bristol,  where  now  officiates  a  Missionary  from 
the  Society ;  and  I  was  the  first  Episcopal  Minister 
that  ever  preached  at  Providence,  where,  for  a  long 
Time,  I  used  to  go  four  times  a  Year ;  but  that  Church 
has  now  a  fixed  Missionary  of  its  own.  I  took  Notice 
before  of  my  Labours  at  New-London  in  Connecticut, 
and  would  to  God  I  could  boast  of  more  Success!  but 
Toil  and  Travel  has  put  me  beyond  my  Best ;  and,  if 
I  am  not  rewarded  with  a  little  Rest  in  Europe,  where 
my  Desires  are,  I  have  strong  Hopes  of  infinitely  more 
desirable  Rest  from  my  Labours,  in  those  celestial 
Mansions  prepared  by  my  dear  Redeemer.  Besides  the 
Members  of  our  Church,  who,  I  may  boast,  are  the 
best  of  the  People,  being  Converts,  not  from  Con- 
venience or  civil  Encouragement,  but  Conscience  and 
Conviction ;  there  are  Quakers,  Anabaptists  of  four 


52  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

sorts,  Independents,  with  a  still  larger  Number  than 
all  those,  of  the  Descendants  of  European  Parents, 
devoid  of  all  Religion,  and  who  attend  no  Kind  of 
Public  Worship.  In  all  the  other  Colonies,  the  Law 
lays  an  Obligation  to  go  to  some  Sort  of  Worship  on 
Sunday ;  but  here,  Liberty  of  Conscience  is  carried  to 
an  irreligious  Extreme.  The  Produce  of  this  Colony  is 
principally  Butter  and  Cheese,  fat  Cattle,  Wool,  and 
fine  Horses,  that  are  exported  to  all  Parts  of  the 
English  America.  They  are  remarkable  for  Fleetness 
and  swift  Pacing ;  and  I  have  seen  some  of  them  pace 
a  Mile  in  little  more  than  two  Minutes,  a  good  deal 
less  than  three. 

There  are  above  300  Vessels,  such  as  Sloops,  Scooners, 
Snows,  Brigan tines,  and  Ships,  from  60  Tons  and  up- 
wards, that  belong  to  this  Colony ;  but,  as  they  are 
rather  Carriers  for  other  Colonies,  than  furnished  here 
with  their  Cargoes,  you  will  go  near  to  conclude  that 
we  are  lazy  and  greedy  of  Gain,  since,  instead  of  culti- 
vating the  Lands,  we  improve  too  many  Hands  in 
Trade.  This  indeed  is  the  Case.  There  are  here, 
which  is  no  good  Symptom,  a  vast  many  Law-Suits  ; 
more  in  one  Year  than  the  County  of  Derry  has  in 
twenty ;  and  Billy  M'Evers  has  been  so  long  your 
Father's,  and  your  Honour's  Constable,  that  he  would 
make  a  very  good  Figure  on  the  Bench  of  our  Courts 
of  Assize  and  General  Goal  Delivery.  The  Novanglians 
in  general,  the  Rhode- -Islanders  in  particular,  are  per- 
haps the  only  People  on  Earth  who  have  hit  on  the 
Art  of  enriching  themselves  by  running  in  Debt.  This 
will  remain  no  longer  a  Mystery,  than  I  have  related 
to  your  Honour,  that  we  have  no  Money  among  us, 
but  a  depreciating  Paper  Currency ;  and  this,  in  the 
Current  of  30  Years,  has  dwindled  down  from  6s.  8d. 
to  about  41.  per  Ounce.  He  who  disposes  of  his  Goods 
on  long  Credit,  and  another  who  lends  his  Money  at 


REV.    DR.    JAMES   MACSPARRAN.  53 

101.  12  J,  or  even  151.  per  Cent,  the  first  loses  his 
Profits,  and  the  last  some  of  his  Principal,  besides  all 
the  Interest.  Indeed,  a  new  Act  of  the  British  Parlia- 
ment, ill-penned,  passed  last  Winter,  to  restrain  us  : 
But  such  Things  are  only  Bruta  Fulmina  ;  and  we  shall 
go  on,  I  doubt,  in  our  old  Way  of  Paper  Emissions, 
unless  the  Lord,  in  Mercy  to  us,  should  dispose  the 
sovereign  Power  to  vacate  our  Patent,  and  prevent  our 
Destruction  by  taking  us  out  of  our  own  Hands.  I 
mentioned  Wool  as  one  of  the  Productions  of  this 
Colony  ;  but,  altho'  it  is  pretty  plenty  where  I  live,  yet 
if  you  throw  the  English  America  into  one  Point  of 
View,  there  is  not  half  enough  to  make  Stockings  for 
the  Inhabitants.  We  are  a  vast  Advantage  to  England, 
in  the  Consumption  of  her  Manufactures ;  for  which 
we  make  Returns,  in  New  Ships,  Whale  Oil,  and  Bone, 
(which  grows  in  the  Whale's  Mouth)  and  dry  Fish,  to 
the  Ports  of  Portugal,  Spain,  and  Italy,  which  are  paid 
for  by  Draughts  on  London  and  Bristol  Merchants.  I 
wish  Ireland  were  at  Liberty  to  ship  us  their  Woollens, 
which  we  shall  always  want,  instead  of  her  Linens, 
which  will  soon  cease  to  be  in  demand  here.  Before  I 
leave  this  Colony,  give  me  Leave  to  observe  to  your 
Honour,  that  the  Lord  Marquis  of  Hamilton,  Prede- 
cessor to  the  late  Dukes  of  that  Title,  bought  of  the 
aforesaid  Council  of  Plymouth  60  Miles  square  of  Land, 
which  comprehends  most  of  this  Colony,  and  Part  of 
Connecticut,  with  10,000  Acres  at  Sagadahock ;  and 
only  Length  of  Time,  Neglect,  and  some  Misfortunes 
that  befel  that  Family,  have  deprived  them  of  the 
Benefit  of  that  great  Estate.  The  last  Duke  put  a 
Copy  of  his  Patent  into  my  Hands,  when  I  was  in 
England,  in  1737;  and  from  that,  and  what  he  told 
me,  it  appeared  to  my  Understanding,  that  his  Title 
was  good,  and  might,  were  the  Times  favourable  to 
that  Family,  be  recovered  again.  At  an  easy  Quit- 


54  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

Rent  of  5s.  Sterling  per  100  Acres,  it  would  amount 
to  more  than  57601.  per  Annum,  and  might  be  im- 
proved to  a  much  greater  Sum.  . 

I've  said  nothing  of  the  climate.  You  are  to  know 
then,  that,  ...  In  general,  the  Air  is  infinitely  more 
clear  and  serene  than  in  England  or  Ireland  ;  and  our 
Nearness  to  the  Sun  occasions  more  frequent  and  loud 
Claps  of  Thunder,  and  sharper  Lightning,  than  you 
have.  It  is  no  unusual  Thing  for  Houses,  and  Stacks 
of  Hay,  and  Grain,  to  be  burnt ;  and  Men  and  Cattle 
are  often  killed  by  the  sharp  Lightning.  In  New- 
England,  the  Transitions  from  Heat  to  Cold  are  short 
and  sudden,  and  the  Extreme  of  both  very  sensible  : 
We  are  sometimes  frying,  and  at  others  freezing ;  and 
as  Men  often  die  at  their  Labour  in  the  Field  by  Heat, 
so  some  in  Winter  are  froze  to  Death  with  the  Cold. 
Last  Winter,  in  February,  which  begins  the  Spring 
with  you,  I  rode  30  Miles  upon  one  continued  Glaze  of 
Ice  upon  the  Land,  to  assist  a  neighbouring  Clergy- 
man, who  was  sick.  With  a  Horse  well  caulk'd  and 
frosted,  'tis  fine  Travelling  for  one  that  can  sometimes 
'light  and  run,  to  bring  the  Blood  into  his  Feet,  and  in- 
crease the  checked  Circulation.  As  from  my  Lands  I 
can  see  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  I  have  seen  it  froze  as  far 
as  the  human  Eye  could  reach ;  and  'tis  common,  in  a 
beautiful  Lake  of  salt  Water  that  fronts  my  Farm,  to 
have  the  Ice  three  Feet  thick  every  Winter.  .  .  . 

As  the  Shadow  lengthens  as  the  Sun  grows  low,  so, 
as  the  Years  increase,  my  Longings  after  Europe  in- 
crease also.  My  Labours  and  Toils  are  inexpressible, 
and  Age  makes  them  still  more  intolerable. 

Vagrant,  illiterate  Preachers  swarm  where  I  am  ; 
and  the  native  Novanglian  Clergy  of  our  Church, 
against  the  Opinion  of  the  European  Missionaries,  have 
introduced  a  Custom  of  young  Scholars  going  about  and 
reading  Prayers,  &c.  where  there  are  Vacancies,  on 


REV.    JACOB    BAILEY.  55 

purpose  that  they  may  step  into  them  when  they  can 
get  Orders  ;  yea,  they  have  so  represented  the  Necessity 
and  Advantage  of  the  Thing,  that  the  very  Society 
connive  at,  if  not  encourage  it.  This  occasioned  my 
preaching,  and  afterwards  printing,  the  inclosed  Dis- 
course, on  which  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  your  Senti- 
ments. 


1754.      Rev.  Jacob  Bailey. 

Jacob  Bailey  (1731-1808)  was  a  clergyman  of  the 
Church  of  England,  who  was  born  in  Massachusetts, 
and  graduated  at  Harvard.  He  visited  England,  and 
was  ordained  in  that  country,  and  later  became  a  mis- 
sionary in  Pownalborough,  now  Wiscasset,  Maine. 
During  the  Revolutionary  war  he  was  a  loyalist,  and, 
in  1779,  left  the  United  States  for  Nova  Scotia,  where 
he  became  rector  of  St.  Luke's  Church  in  Annapolis. 

The  following  extract  is  taken  from  his  journal, 
published  in  The  Frontier  Missionary,  A  Memoir  of  the 
life  of  the  Rev.  Jacob  Bailey,  by  W.  S.  Bartlett,  New 
York,  1853,  pp.  16  et  seq. 


Providence  is  a  most  beautiful  place,  lying  on  both 
sides  of  a  fine  river,  in  the  north-westerly  part  of  Rhode 
Island  government.  The  north-east  side  is  built  with 
two  streets  of  painted  houses,  above  which  lies  a  most 
delightful  hill,  gradually  ascending  to  a  great  distance, 
all  cut  into  gardens,  orchards,  pleasant  fields,  and 
beautiful  enclosures,  which  strike  the  eye  with  agree- 
able surprise.  Here  is  a  fine  harbor  for  shipping,  and 


56  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

a  well-built  bridge  across  the  river.  The  town  on  the 
south-west  side,  is  less  elegant  than  on  the  north- 
east, but  contains  two  or  three  streets  of  well-built 
houses.  Providence  is  a  very  growing  and  nourishing 
place,  and  the  finest  in  New  England.  Here  is  one 
meeting-house,  one  church,  one  Quaker  and  one  New- 
Light  house  for  divine  worship.  The  inhabitants  of 
the  place,  in  general,  are  very  immoral,  licentious  and 
profane,  and  exceeding  famous  for  contempt  of  the 
Sabbath.  Gaming,  gunning,  horse-racing  and  the  like, 
are  as  common  on  that  day  as  on  any  other.  Persons 
of  all  professions  countenance  such  practices.  From 
Providence  we  rode  over  a  fine  plain  to  Patuxet. 

Patuxet 

Is  a  pretty  compact  place,  built  upon  a  small  river, 
over  which  is  a  very  good  bridge.  From  Patuxet  we 
rode  through  a  long  desert  country,  in  which  we  saw 
but  a  very  few  people,  and  they  almost  as  rough  as  the 
trees. 


Warwick. 

A  poor,  but  old-settled  town,  something  populous, 
on  the  borders  of  Greenwich ;  the  inhabitants  very 
profane  and  unpolite. 


1759.      Rev.  Andrew  Burnaby. 

Burnaby  (1734  c.— 1812)  was  an  English  clergyman, 
who  made  extended  journeys  in  America,  chiefly  in  the 
Middle  States,  in  1759  and  1760. 


REV.    ANDREW    BURXABY.  57 

His  observations  show  good  judgment  and  are  inter- 
esting. He  is  careful  to  avoid  any  allusion  to  the  po- 
litical events  of  the  time.  The  extract  given  is  taken 
from  his  Travels  through  the  Middle  Settlements  in,  North 
America,  p.  67  et  seq.  London,  1775. 

Newport.     Rhode  Island. 

This  town  is  situated  upon  a  small  island,  about 
twelve  miles  in  length,  and  five  or  six  in  breadth,  called 
Rhode  Island,  from  whence  the  province  takes  its 
name.  It  is  the  capital  city,  and  contains  about  800, 
or  1000  houses,  chiefly  built  of  wood  ;  and  6  or  7000 
inhabitants.  There  are  few  buildings  in  it  worthy  of 
notice.  The  court-house  is  indeed  handsome,  and  of 
brick ;  and  there  is  a  public  library,  built  in  the  form 
of  a  Grecian  temple,  by  no  means  inelegant.  It  is  of 
the  Doric  order,  and  has  a  portico  in  front  with  four 
pillars,  supporting  a  pediment ;  but  the  whole  is  spoilt 
by  two  small  wings,  which  are  annexed  to  it.  . 
The  places  of  public  worship,  except  the  Jews  syna- 
gogue, are  all  of  wood ;  and  not  one  of  them  is  worth 
looking  at.  They  consist  chiefly  of  a  church,  two  pres- 
byterian  meeting-houses,  one  quakers  ditto,  three  ana- 
baptists ditto,  one  Moravian  ditto,  and  the  synagogue 
above-mentioned.  This  building  was  designed,  as  in- 
deed were  several  of  the  others,  by  a  Mr.  Harrison,  an 
ingenious  English  gentleman  who  lives  here.  It  will 
be  extremely  elegant  within  when  completed  :  but  the 
outside  is  totally  spoilt  by  a  school,  which  the  Jews  in- 
sisted on  having  annexed  to  it  for  the  education  of 
their  children.  Upon  a  small  island,  before  the  town, 
is  part  of  a  fine  fortification,  designed  to  consist  of  a 
pentagon-fort,  and  an  upper  and  lower  battery.  Only 
two  of  the  curtains,  and  a  ravelin,  are  yet  finished  ; 
and  it  is  doubted  whether  the  whole  ever  will  be. 


58  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

There  are  now  mounted  upon  it  twenty-six  cannon ; 
but  the  works,  when  complete,  will  require  above  150. 
At  the  entrance  of  the  harbour  there  is  likewise  an  ex- 
ceeding good  light-house.  These  are  the  chief  public 
buildings. 

About  three  miles  from  town  is  an  indifferent  wooden 
house,  built  by  dean  Berkeley,  when  he  was  in  these 
parts  :  the  situation  is  low,  but  commands  a  fine  view 
of  the  ocean,  and  of  some  wild  rugged  rocks  that  are 
on  the  left  hand  of  it.  .  .  .  The  province  of  Rhode 
Island  is  situated  .  ._.  .  in  the  most  healthy  climate 
of  North-America.  The  winters  are  severe,  though  not 
equally  so  with  those  of  the  other  provinces ;  but  the 
summers  are  delightful,  especially  in  the  island ;  the 
violent  and  excessive  heats  which  America  is  in  general 
subject  to,  being  allayed  by  the  cool  and  temperate 
breezes  that  come  from  the  sea.  The  soil  is  upon  the 
whole  tolerably  good,  though  rather  too  stony  ;  its 
natural  produce  is  maize  or  Indian  corn,  with  a  variety 
of  shrubs  and  trees.  It  produces  in  particular  the 
button-tree ;  the  spruce-pine,  of  the  young  twigs  of 
which  is  made  excellent  beer ;  and  the  pseudo-acacia, 
or  locust-tree  ;  but  none  of  those  fine  flowering  trees, 
which  are  such  an  ornament  to  the  woods  in  Carolina 
and  Virginia.  It  enjoys  many  advantages,  has  several 
large  rivers,  and  one  of  the  finest  harbours  in  the  world. 
Fish  are  in  the  greatest  plenty  and  perfection,  particu- 
larly the  tataag  or  black-fish,  lobsters,  and  sea-bass. 
In  its  cultivated  state,  it  produces  very  little,  except 
sheep  and  horned  cattle  ;  the  whole  province  being  laid 
out  into  pasture  or  grazing  ground.  The  horses  are 
bony  and  strong,  and  the  oxen  much  the  largest  in 
America;  several  of  them  weighing  from  16  to  1800 
weight.  .  .  .  The  government  of  this  province  is  en- 
tirely democratical ;  every  officer,  except  the  collector 
of  the  customs,  being  appointed,  I  believe,  either  im- 


REV.    ANDREW    BURNABY.  59 

mediately  by  the  people,  or  by  the  general  assembly. 
.  There  is  no  established  form  of  religion  here ; 
but  church  of  England  men,  independents,  quakers, 
anabaptists,  Moravians,  Jews,  and  all  other  sects  what- 
ever, have  liberty  to  exercise  their  several  professions. 
The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  sends 
only  four  missionaries. 

Arts  and  sciences  are  almost  unknown,  except  to 
some  few  individuals  ;  and  there  are  no  public  semina- 
ries of  learning  ;  nor  do  the  Rhode  Islanders  in  general 
seem  to  regret  the  want  of  them.  . 

The  character  of  the  Rhode-Islanders  is  by  no 
means  engaging,  or  amiable ;  a  circumstance  princi- 
pally owing  to  their  form  of  government.  Their  men 
in  power,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  are  depend- 
ent upon  the  people,  and  frequently  act  without  that 
strict  regard  to  probity  and  honour,  which  ever  ought 
invariably  to  influence  and  direct  mankind.  The  pri- 
vate people  are  cunning,  deceitful,  and  selfish  ;  they 
live  almost  entirely  by  unfair  and  illicit  trading.  Their 
magistrates  are  partial  and  corrupt ;  and  it  is  folly  to 
expect  justice  in  their  courts  of  judicature ;  for  he, 
who  has  the  greatest  influence,  is  generally  found 
to  have  the  fairest  cause.  ...  In  short,  to 
give  an  idea  of  the  wretched  state  of  this  colony,  it 
has  happened  more  than  once,  that  a  person  has  had 
sufficient  influence  to  procure  a  fresh  emission  of  paper- 
money,  solely  to  defraud  his  creditors ;  ...  It 
is  needless,  after  this,  to  observe  that  it  is  in  a  very 
declining  state ;  for  it  is  impossible  that  it  should 
prosper  under  such  abuses.  Its  West  Indian  trade 
has  diminished ;  .  .  .it  has  lost  during  the  war,, 
by  the  enemy,  above  150  vessels;  ...  it  has 
been  loaded  with  taxes,  and  many  of  the  people  have 
been  oppressed  by  the  mode  of  collecting  them  :  . 
After  having  said  so  much  to  the  disadvantage  of  this 


60  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

colony,  I  should  be  guilty  of  injustice  and  ingratitude, 
were  I  not  to  declare  that  there  are  many  worthy  gen- 
tlemen in  it,  who  see  the  misfortunes  of  their  country 
and  lament  them ;  .  .  .  who  are  courteous  and  po- 
lite ;  kind  and  hospitable  to  strangers ;  and  capable  of 
great  acts  of  generosity  and  goodness,  as  I  myself  ex- 
perienced during  a  very  severe  fit  of  illness  which  I 
lay  under  at  this  place. 


1765.     Colonel  Robert  Rogers. 

Robert  Rogers  (1727-1800)  was  celebrated  as  the 
commander  of  the  "  Rough  Riders  "  of  the  French  and 
Indian  wars  of  1755-1760.  His  troop  was  known  as 
Rogers'  Rangers,  and  the  name  of  Rogers'  Rock,  on 
Lake  George,  commemorates  his  feat  of  sliding  down 
the  precipice  to  escape  from  the  Indians.  At  one  time 
he  was  royal  governor  of  Mackinaw,  Michigan.  In  the 
Revolutionary  war  he  held  the  rank  of  colonel  in  the 
British  army,  and  commanded  the  "  Queen's  Rangers." 
He  was  the  author  of  several  books. 

This  quotation  is  taken  from  his  Concise  Account  of 
North  America,  1765,  pp.  55-59. 

This  colony  comprehends  what  were  originally  the 
colonies  or  plantations  of  Rhode  Island  and  Providence, 
being  incorporated  into  one,  by  a  new  charter,  about  the 
same  time  as  the  colony  of  Connecticut ;  and,  like  that, 
they  still  retain  the  rights  and  privileges  that  were  at 
first  granted  them  in  their  separate  state,  keeping  up 
likewise  two  seats  of  government,  viz.  Newport  and 


COLONEL  ROBERT  ROGERS.  61 

Providence,  at  which  places  their  general  court  is  held 
alternately. 

This  colony  has  but  a  small  territory,  lying  nearly  in 
the  figure  of  an  heart,  and  is  bounded  north  and  east  by 
the  Massachusetts  Bay,  southerly  by  the  ocean,  and 
westerly  by  Connecticut. 

The  principal  towns  in  it  are  those  already  mentioned 
of  Newport,  situated  on  the  Island  called  Rhode  Island, 
pleasantly  enough,  and  has  a  safe  and  good  harbour  for 
ordinary  shipping ;  and  Providence,  situated  not  less 
pleasantly  upon  Providence  River,  is  a  very  thriving 
town,  and  has  a  considerable  trade. 

The  number  of  inhabitants  in  this  colony  is  com- 
puted to  be  about  70,000. 

The  soil  is  generally  low,  and  inclined  to  rocks  and 
stones ;  however,  when  properly  improved,  produces 
Indian  corn,  rye,  oats,  pease,  hemp,  flax,  and  some 
wheat,  and  most  kinds  of  fruit  common  to  the  climate, 
in  great  perfection,  especially  on  Rhode  Island  itself, 
which,  for  beauty  and  fertility,  is  the  garden  of  the 
colony,  and  is  exceeded  perhaps  by  no  spot  in  New 
England.  They  raise  cattle,  sheep,  and  horses  in 
abundance,  and  the  latter  the  best  on  the  continent. 
They  likewise  make  considerable  quantities  of  butter 
and  cheese  in  this  country. 

The  principal  commodities  exported  from  hence  are, 
horses,  sheep,  cheese,  and  the  produce  they  procure 
from  the  neighboring  provinces,  such  as  fish  and 
lumber  from  the  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire ; 
flour,  beef,  and  pork,  from  Philadelphia,  New  York, 
and  Connecticut,  which  they  commonly  pay  for  in  rum, 
sugar,  molasses,  imported  from  the  West  Indies,  in  tea 
from  Holland,  or  in  slaves  from  the  coasts  of  Africa. 

The  form  of  government  here  is  in  all  respects  the 
same  as  in  the  colony  of  Connecticut.  They  are  not, 
however,  so  scrupulous  in  keeping  up  to  the  terms  of 


62  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

their  charter,  often  dispensing  with  it  in  some  pretty 
essential  points,  and  taking  liberties,  not  only  detri- 
mental to  the  other  provinces,  but  even  to  the  nation, 
especially  in  times  of  war,  by  carrying  on  an  illicit 
trade  with  the  enemy,  and  supplying  them  with  the 
most  material  articles.  This  they  have  repeatedly 
done  with  impunity,  to  my  certain  knowledge,  in  the 
course  of  the  late  war,  when  many  scores  of  vessels 
went  loaded  with  beef,  pork,  flour,  &c.  under  the  pre- 
text of  flags,  which,  for  a  certain  consideration,  could  at 
any  time  be  procured  from  their  Governor,  when  at  the 
same  time  perhaps  they  carried  not  more  than  ope  or 
two  French  prisoners,  dividing  the  crew  of  one  French 
merchantman  they  had  taken,  among  a  whole  fleet  of 
flags  of  truce,  laden  with  articles  more  welcome  to  the 
enemy  than  all  the  prisoners,  with  the  ship  and  cargo, 
they  took  from  them.  Nor  can  it  be  greatly  wondered 
at  that  their  Governor  should  fall  in  with  so  clandes- 
tine a  method  for  the  procurement  of  a  livelihood, 
when  it  is  considered  that  they  allow  him  but  fifty  or 
sixty  dollars  per  annum  for  his  maintenance ;  besides, 
as  he  is  annually  elected,  so  there  are  always  two  or 
more  that  are  competitors  for  the  government ;  and 
generally  he  that  distributes  the  most  cash,  and  gives 
the  best  entertainments,  let  him  be  merchant,  farmer, 
tradesman,  or  what,  he  will,  is  the  man  who  obtains  a 
majority  of  votes,  which  fixes  him  in  the  chair  (death 
only  excepted)  for  that  year.  These  election-expences 
generally  run  high,  as  each  candidate  endeavours  to 
excel  his  competitor  (and,  if  all  put  together,  would 
amount  to  a  reasonable  maintenance)  and  must  be  re- 
funded some  way  or  other  during  his  reign  who  hap- 
pens to  be  elected,  and  provision  made  to  act  the  same 
part  over  again  the  next  year. 

There  are  in  this  colony  men  of  almost  every  relig- 
ious persuasion  in  the  world.    The  greatest  number  are 


BENJAMIN    WEST.  63 

Quakers,  and  many  have  no  religion  at  all,  or  at  least 
profess  none  ;  on  which  account  no  questions  are  here 
asked,  every  man  being  left  pretty  much  to  think  and 
act  for  himself,  of  which  neither  the  laws  nor  his 
neigh  hours  take  much  cognizance,  so  greatly  is  their  lib- 
erty degenerated  into  licentiousness.  This  province  is 
infested  with  a  rascally  set  of  Jews,  who  fail  not  to 
take  advantage  of  the  great  liberty  here  given  to  men 
of  all  professions  arid  religions,  and  are  a  pest  not  only 
to  this,  but  the  neighboring  provinces. 

There  is  not  one  free-school  in  the  whole  colony,  and 
the  education  of  children,  generally,  shamefully  neg- 
lected. 


1769.     Benjamin  West. 

Benjamin  West  (1730-1813)  was  a  native  of  Reho- 
both,  Massachusetts.  For  some  years  he  was  a  book- 
seller in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  but  finally  turned 
his  attention  to  mathematics  and  astronomy.  From 
1786  to  1799  he  was  professor  of  mathematics  and 
natural  philosophy  at  Brown  University.  In  1812- 
1813  he  was  postmaster  of  Providence.  He  published 
a  series  of  almanacs  for  the  years  1763-1793.  The 
following  quotation  is  copied  from  the  New  England 
Almanack,  for  1769. 

STAGE-COACHES,  PASSAGE-BOATS  AND  THE    MAILS, 
TO  AND  FROM  PROVIDENCE,  R.  I.,  IN  1759. 

The  Providence  coaches,  kept  by  Mr.  Thomas  Sabin 
and  Knight  Dexter,  Esq.,  go  twice  a  week  from  Provi- 


64  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

dence  to  Boston,  performing  their  respective  stages  in 
a  day. 

The  Norwich  coach  comes  once  a  week  from  Mr. 
Azariah  Lathrop's,  in  Norwich,  to  Dr.  Samuel  Carew's, 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Great  Bridge,  in  Providence, 
where  travellers  will  meet  with* the  best  entertainment. 
The  stage  performed  in  a  day. 

The  Providence  Passage-boats,  kept  by  Mr.  Joshua 
Hacker  and  Messieurs  Thomas  and  Benjamin  Lindsey, 
ply  every  day  from  Providence  to  Newport,  and  per- 
form the  passage,  wind  and  weather  permitting,  in 
three  hours. 

Mr.  Peter  Mumford,  Post  Rider,  leaves  Newport, 
with  the  Western  and  Southern  Mails,  on  Friday  morn- 
ing, arrives  at  Providence  the  same  night,  sets  out  for 
Boston  on  Saturday  morning,  which  he  reaches  at  night, 
and  returns  with  the  Boston  Mail  on  Monday,  perform- 
ing his  stage  once  a  week. 


1770.     Alexander  Cluny. 

Alexander  Cluny  was  an  English,  or  Scotch,  mer- 
chant and  traveller,  who  published  his  observations  upon 
the  A  merican  colonies  in  the  form  of  a  series  of  letters 
addressed  to  the  "  Right  Honourable  Earl  of  .  .  .  " 
In  the  second  letter  the  "  traveller  "  says,  "  I  have  the 
Honour  to  inform  your  Lordship  of  the  Discoveries  I 
made  in  the  Year  1744 ;  as  also  that  since  that  Time  I 
have  traversed  the  whole  Coast  of  America,  from  Lot. 
68  j  North,  to  Cape  Florida,  and  penetrating  some  thou- 
sands of  Miles  westward,  into  the  Wilderness,  many 


ALEXANDER   CLUNY.  65 

Parts  of  which  were  never  trodden  before  by  European 
feet."  He  also  says  that  he  has  been  a  colonial  mer- 
chant for  more  than  thirty  years.  Dibdin's  "  Library 
Companion  "  says  that  he  was  the  "  first  to  give  accu- 
rate intelligence  of  Hudson's  Bay,  arid  to  institute  an 
inquiry  about  a  more  successful  commerce  with  the 
Americans."  The  extract  given  is  taken  from  The 
American  Traveller  (2d  ed.  London,  1770),  p.  51. 

COMMODITIES  exported  from  Great  Britain  to  Con- 
necticut, Rhode  Island  and  New  Hampshire. 

Wrought-Iron,  Steel,  Copper,  Brass,  Pewter  and 
Lead — Woolen  Cloths — Stuffs — Flannels — Colchester 
Bays — Long-Ells — British,  Irish,  and  Foreign-Linens 
— Silks — Gold  and  Silver  Lace — Millenary,  Haber- 
dashery, and  Hosiery- Wares  —  Hats — Gloves — Man- 
chester Goods — Birmingham  and  Sheffield  Wares — 
Hemp — Sail-Cloth — Cordage  —  Upholstery  and  Sad- 
dlery Wares — Cabinet-Maker's  Goods — Painter's  Col- 
ours— Ship-Chandlery  Wares — Earthen  Ware — India 
Goods — Gri  nd  stones — Fi  shi ng  Tackle — Cheese — Pick- 
les— Toys  —  Seeds  —  Tobacco-pipes  —  Strong  Beer — 
Wines — Spirits — Medicinial  Drugs — all  which  cost  at 
an  Average  of  three  Years,  £12,000. 

COMMODITIES  exported  from  Connecticut,  Rhode 
Island  and  New  Hampshire. 

Masts,  Boards,  Joists,  Staves,  &c £30,000 

Salted  Beef— Pork — Hams — Butter — Cheese 

Callivances — and  Flax  Seed, 15,000 

Whale  and  other  Fish-Oil,  1500  Tons — at 

£15— 22,500 

Pickled  Mackarel,  Shads,  and  other  Fish, . .          7,000 

Horses  and  Live  Stock, 25,000 

Potash — 6000  Barrels — at  50s 15,000 

£114,500 


66  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

1771      Rev.  Morgan  Edwards. 

Morgan  Edwards  (1722-1795),  was  born  in  Wales, 
educated  in  England,  and  ordained  to  the  Baptist  min- 
istry in  Ireland.  He  came  to  America  in  1761,  and 
became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Philadelphia. 
In  1770  he  resigned  his  position,  and  took  up  the  life 
of  a  travelling  preacher  and  lecturer.  He  took  a 
prominent  part  in  founding  Rhode  Island  college,  now 
Brown  University,  and  spent  much  time  in  collecting 
materials  for  a  history  of  the  Baptist  denomination 
in  America.  During  the  Revolution  his  sympathies 
were  Loyalist.  The  extract  given  is  taken  from  his 
"  Materials  for  a  history  of  the  Baptists  in  Rhode 
Island,"  as  published  in  Vol.  VI.  of  the  Collections 
of  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society,  pp.  313-355, 
passim. 

PROVIDENCE. 

This  church  is  usually  distinguished  by  the  above 
name,  which  ig  the  name  of  the  town  where  the  meet- 
ing-house is,  in  the  township  of  Providence  and  county 
of  the  same.  The  house  is  41  feet  by  35,  and  pretty 
well  finished,  with  pews  and  galleries.  It  was  erected 
about  the  year  1722,  1726,  on  a  lot  of  112  feet  by  77, 
partly  the  gift  of  Rev.  Pardon  Tillinghast  and  partly 
the  purchase  of  the  congregation.  It  is  situated  towards 
the  north  end  of  the  town,  having  the  main  street  to 
the  front  and  the  river  to  the  back.  No  estate  belongs 
to  it,  for  which  reason  the  salary  of  the  minister  (Rev. 
James  Manning)  is  reputed  no  more  than  50  £  a  year. 
The  character  of  it  is  that  of  General  Baptist,  holding 


REV.    MORGAN    EDWARDS.  67 

the  six  points,  though  the  minister  and  several  of  the 
congregation  are  calvanistic  in  sentiments,  and  slack 
about  laying  on  of  hands.  The  families  belonging  to 
them  are  about  250,  whereof  118  *  persons  are  bap- 
tized and  in  communion,  which  is  here  celebrated  every 
S.  in  the  month. 

From  Providence  we  shall  pass  to  the  next  church 
in  point  of  seniority,  viz. — Newport — I  distinguish 
this  church  by  the  name  of  the  town ;  but  the  other 
churches  in  town  (which  are  the  offspring  of  this)  I 
will  distinguish  by  the  names  of  the  streets  where  the 
meeting-houses  are.  Newport  is  on  Rhode  Island,  in 
a  township  and  county  of  the  same  name,  32  miles 
S.  b.  E.  from  Providence,  and  348  miles  N.  E.  b.  E. 
h.  E.  from  Philadelphia.  The  meeting-house  belong- 
ing to  Newport  church  is  in  Bull  street,  built  in  1738, 
and  well  finished,  with  pews  and  galleries.  Its  dimen- 
sions are  40  feet  by  30.f  The  lot  on  which  it  stands 
is  73  feet  by  64,  the  gift  of  Messrs.  Colonels  Hezekiah 
Carpenter  and  Josias  Lyndon.  The  temporalities  of 
the  church  are,  1.  Hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  the  gift 
of  John  Holmes.  2.  A  farm  of  166  acres  (with  house 
and  out-houses  thereon,  now  rented  out  for  50/.),  the 
gift  of  Rev.  John  Clark.  The  issues  and  profits  were 
chiefly  intended  for  the  minister,  though  not  so  ex- 
pressed in  the  will  for  a  reason  which  Mr.  Clark  com- 
municated to  particular  friends.  3.  A  garden  in  town, 
the  gift  of  said  Mr.  Clark. 

With  these  helps,  and  the  rates  of  the  pews,  the 
living  is  reputed  worth  90£.  a  year  to  the  present  min- 
ister, Rev.  Erasmus  Kelley.  The  families  belonging 
to  the  congregation  are  about  50,  whereof  37  persons 
are  baptized  and  in  the  communion,  which  is  here  cele- 
brated the  last  Sunday  in  the  month.  The  character 

*This  was  their  state  in  1771. 

f  About  60  feet. — (Note  by  another  hand. ) 


68  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

of  this  church  for  some  years  past  has  been  that  of 
General  Baptist,  but  as  the  minister  and  several  of  the 
members  are  of  the  sentiments  of  the  Particular  Bap- 
tists it  is  supposed  it  will  return  to  what  it  was  at  first. 
They  also  have  re-admitted  psalmody,  and  laying  on 
of  hands.  This  was  their  state  in  the  year  1771. 

The  second  church  of  Newport  is  in  Farewell  Street. 
And  I  would  distinguish  this  church  by  the  name  of 
the  street  where  the  meeting-house  is,  because  it  will  be 
better  than  to  distinguish  it  by  the  name  of  its  minister 
(for  the  time  being)  as,  has  been  the  case  hitherto.  The 
house  is  76  feet  by  52,  and  stands  on  a  lot  of  about  a 
hundred  feet  square  with  a  school-house  and  stablings.* 
The  lot  was  purchased  by  the  congregation  at  several 
times,  and  is  a  part  of  the  estate  of  the  famous  William 
Coddington .  The  house  at  first  was  very  small ;  in 
1725  it  was  enlarged  to  52  feet  by  34  ;  in  1749  it 
was  enlarged  again,  to  62  feet  by  52 ;  and  in  1768,  to 
its  present  dimensions.  It  is  pretty  well  finished,  with 
pews  and  galleries,  but  too  large  for  the  speaker.  The 
temporalities  of  this  church  are  :  1.  37£  10s.,  the  gift 
of  Daniel  Sanford,  (O.  T.  1000£).  2.  ll£3s.,(O. 
T.  300£),  the  gift  of  Joseph  Sanford.  3.  28£  4s. 
(O.  T.  750£),  the  gift  of  the  same  person,  for  the  use 
of  the  poor.  With  the  above  helps  and  perquisites^ 
the  living  is  reputed  worth  100£  a  year  to  the  present 
minister,  Rev.  Gardner  Thurston. 

The  families  belonging  to  the  congregation  are  about 
250,  whereof  230  .  .  .  are  baptized  and  in  the  com- 
munion, which  is  here  celebrated  the  first  Sunday  in 
the  month.  The  denomination  of  this  church  is  that 
of  General  Baptist,  (with  exception  of  many  individ- 
uals), holding  the  six  points,  and  using  psalmody. 

The  third  church  of  Newport  is  in  Sabbath  Street. 

*  32  miles  S.  by  E.  from  Providence,  and  348  from  Philadelphia. 
— (Note  by  another  hand. ) 


REV.    MORGAN    EDWARDS.  69 

The  place  of  worship  is  38  feet  by  26,  and  well  finished 
with  pews,  galleries,  and  a  clock.  It  was  erected  in 
1730,  on  a  lot  of  85  feet  by  40,  purchased  by  the  con- 
gregation.* The  temporalities  are,  1.  A  dwelling- 
house,  let  for  10/.  10s.  a  year,  the  gift  partly  of  the 
Hon.  Richard  Ward,  partly  of  Capt.  Joshua  Sanders, 
partly  of  Sarah  Arnold.  2.  Six  pounds  3s.  the  gift  of 
Joseph  Sanford.  With  these  helps  and  perquisites  the 
living  is  reputed  worth  40/.  a  year  to  the  present  min- 
ister, Rev.  John  Maxson.  The  families  belonging  to 
the  congregation  are  about  39,  whereof  54  persons 
are  baptized  and  in  the  communion,  which  is  here  cele- 
brated the  last  Saturday  in  the  month.  The  distinction 
of  this  church  is  that  of  Seventh  day  baptist,  holding 
general  redemption,  laying  on  of  hands,  using  psalmody, 
&c.  This  was  their  state  in  1771. 

These  are  all  the  baptist  churches  in  the  town  of 
Newport,  or  in  Rhode  Island.  There  is  something  like 
a  church  who  meet  in  the  house  that  was  built  by  the 

Moravians,  about years  ago.  This  society  of 

the  queer  ones  was  gathered  March  4,  1770,  but  in  less 
than  a  year  broke  to  pieces,  their  number  was  17.  On 
the  14th  of  April  last  eight  of  them  were  gathered  to- 
gether again,  and  (with  a  few  more  which  Dawson 
baptised),  reconstituted,  but  are  not  likely  to  hold  to- 
gether long.  This  Henry  Dawson  arrived  from  Dr. 
Gifford's  church  in  London,  to  New  York,  in  1767, 
and  offered  himself  to  our  association,  but  being  under 
the  censure  of  his  church,  was  rejected  again  and  again, 
so  that  he  stands  alone  railing  at  associations  and  regu- 
lar ministry. 

The  next  church  we  shall  mention  is  that  of  Warren. 
It  is  so  distinguished  from  the  village  where  the  meet- 
ing-house is,  in  a  township  of  the  same  name,  and 

*  It  is  distant  32  miles  S.  by  E.  from  Providence,  and  348  from 
Philadelphia. — (Note  by  another  hand. ) 


70  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

county  of  Bristol,  1 1  miles  S.  by  E.  from  Providence 
and  328  miles  from  Philadelphia.  The  house  was 
erected  in  1763,  on  a  lot  of  50  rods  square,  purchased 
by  the  congregation.  Its  dimensions  are  52  feet  by  44, 
with  pews,  galleries,  and  a  little  turret,  wherein  is  a 
bell,  but  the  galleries  are  not  finished.  On  the  same 
lot  is  a  handsome  parsonage  house,  valued  at  14£.  a  year, 
which  is  all  the  estate  belonging  to  the  church.  The 
living  including  this  is  reputed  worth  741.  to  the  present 
minister,  Rev.  Charles  Thomson.  The  families  belong- 
ing to  the  congregation  are  about  ,  whereof 

fifty-six  persons  are  baptised  and  in  communion,  which 

is  here  celebrated  the Sunday  in  the  month. 

The  character  of  this  church  is  Particular  Baptist,  hold- 
ing laying  on  of  hands  no  bar  to  communion,  and  using 
psalmody.  This  is  their  present  state,  (1771). 

From  this  we  pass  over  the  bay  to  Greenwich. 
This  is  usually  distinguished  as  above  from  the  town- 
ship, but  should  rather  be  called  Newtown,  which  is  the 
name  of  the  village  where  the  meeting-house  is,  in  the 
county  of  Kent,  15  miles  S.  S.  W.  from  Providence  and 

miles  from  Philadelphia.     The  house  is  30  feet 

square,  erected  in  1729,  on  a  lot  of  30  rods  by  5,  the 
gift  of  Clement  Weaver.  The  situation  is  beautiful, 
being  rising  ground  commanding  a  prospect  of  the 
town  and  harbor  and  a  fine  country.  This  was  one 
reason  urged  why  the  college  should  be  placed  here. 
The  character  of  this  church  is  that  of  General  Bap- 
tist, holding  the  six  points  ;  of  late  they  have  admitted 
psalmody,  and  are  grown  more  moderate  in  sentiments. 
No  estate  belongs  to  this  church ;  nor  any  fixed  salary 
for  the  minister,  though  they  could  easily  raise  him 
401.  a  year.  The  families  belonging  to  the  congrega- 
tion are  about .  whereof  52  persons  are  baptized 

and  in  the  communion,  which  is  here  celebrated  every 
ibbath  in  a  month. 


REV.    MORGAN    EDWARDS.  71 

The  next  church  we  shall  mention  is  Cranston.  It 
is  usually  distinguished  as  above  from  the  name  of 
the  township  where  the  place  of  worship  is,  in  the 
county  of  Providence,  about  6  miles  S.  W.  from  the 
town,  and  312  miles  from  Philadelphia.  The  place  of 
worship  was  originally  a  dwelling  house  purchased  by 
the  church  in  1770,  and  made  commodious  for  divine 
service.  The  character  of  the  church  is  that  of  Par- 
ticular Baptists ,  using  psalmody  and  laying  on  of  hands. 
Temporalities  they  have  not ;  nor  any  fixed  salary  for 
their  minister,  but  are  able  to  raise  him  about  30/.  if 
they  were  willing.  The  families  belonging  to  them 

are  about ,  whereof  40  persons  are  baptized  and 

in  communion  of  the  church,  which  is  here  celebrated 
the Sunday  in  each  month 

This  college  is  allowed  to  be  a  neat  pile  of  building 
and  most  pleasantly  situated.  The  building  is  of 
brick,  150  feet  by  46,  four  stories  high,  exclusive 
of  the  cellar,  which  is  partly  above  ground.  In 
the  middle  on  each  side  is  a  projection  of  fifteen 
feet,  making  the  whole  resemble  a  cross.  In  one 
of  these  projections  is  the  Chapel,  in  the  opposite 
the  dining  room ;  above  is  the  library,  the  appa- 
ratus room,  etc.  The  chambers  are  52  in  number, 
opening  to  large  isles,  running  the  whole  length 
of  the  building.  Upwards  of  a  100  scholars  may 
be  here  accommodated.  The  situation  of  the  college 
is  remarkably  airy,  healthful  and  pleasant,  being  the 
summit  of  a  hill  pretty  easy  of  ascent,  and  command- 
ing a  prospect  of  the  town  of  Providence  below,  of 
the  Narragansett  Bay  and  the  islands,  and  of  an  ex- 
tensive country  variegated  with  hills  and  dales,  woods 
and  plains,  &c.  Surely,  this  spot  was  made  for  a  seat 
of  the  muses. 


72  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

1771,  1772.      President  Ezra  Stiles. 

Ezra  Stiles  (1727-1795)  was  born  in  North  Haven, 
Connecticut,  where  his  father  was  pastor,  and  was 
graduated  at  Yale.  In  1756  he  was  induced  to  become 
pastor  of  the  Second  Church  in  Newport.  In  1778 
he  became  president  of  Yale  College,  and  held  that 
position  until  his  death.  His  reputation  as  a  scholar 
and  writer  was  great  both  in  this  country  and  in 
Europe.  This  quotation  is  taken  from  his  Diary,  as 
quoted  by.  President  Barnas  Sears,  in  his  Centennial 
Discourse  at  Brown  University,  pp.  100,  101.  The 
Diary,  a  very  extensive  and  interesting  manuscript, 
now  preserved  at  Yale  University,  is  to  be  printed  by 
that  institution  in  commemoration  of  its  two-hundredth 
anniversary. 


Nov.  17,  1771.  The  town  of  Providence  is  500 
dwelling-houses  and  about  4000  inhabitants,  or  half 
as  big  as  Newport.  . 

Aug.  25,  1772.  The  town  of  Providence  is  now, 
1772,  about  400  houses,  500  families.  I  estimate  100 
families  real  Baptists  ;  140  political  Baptists  and  noth- 
ingarians ;  140  Mr.  Snow's  Congregation,  f  Baptists, 
J  Presbyterians ;  60  Pedobaptist  Congregationalists ; 
40  Episcopalians ;  20  families  Quakers,  a  few  Sande- 
manians,  and  perhaps  20  or  40  persons  Deists. 


PRESIDENT    JAMES   MANNING.  73 

1772.     President  James  Manning. 

James  Manning  (1738-1791),  a  Baptist  minister, 
born  in  Elizabeth,  New  Jersey,  was  chosen  by  the 
Philadelphia  Association  as  a  leader  in  the  attempt  to 
establish  a  Baptist  college  in  Rhode  Island,  became  in 
1765  the  first  president  of  Rhode  Island  College,  and 
held  the  office  until  his  death.  He  was  also  pastor  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Providence,  to  which 
position  he  was  called  shortly  after  the  removal  of  the 
college  to  Providence,  in  1770.  The  present  church 
was  built  during  his  ministry,  in  1774.  The  follow- 
ing letter  is  quoted  from  The  Life,  Times  and  Corre- 
spondence of  James  Manning,  and  the  Early  History  of 
Brown  University,  by  Dr.  Reuben  A.  Guild,  p.  194. 


The  college  edifice  is  erected  on  a  most  beautiful 
eminence,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Providence,  com- 
manding a  most  charming  and  variegated  prospect ;  a 
large,  neat  brick  building,  and  so  far  completed  as  to 
receive  the  students,  who  now  reside  there,  the  whole 
number  of  whom  is  twenty-two.  We  have  the  pros- 
pect of  further  additions;  yet  our  numbers  will  probably 
be  small  until  we  are  better  furnished  with  a  library 
and  philosophical  apparatus.  At  present  we  have  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  volumes,  and  these  not  well 
chosen,  being  such  as  our  friends  could  best  spare. 
Our  apparatus  consists  of  a  pair  of  globes,  two  micro- 
scopes, and  an  electrical  machine  ;  to  this  we  are  de- 
sirous of  making  the  addition  of  an  air  pump,  if  one 
reputable  can  be  purchased  for  £22  10s.  sterling;  a 
sum  which  two  young  men  informed  me  they  intended 


74  PICTURES    OF   RHODE   ISLAND. 

to  give  towards  an  apparatus  or  library.  If,  therefore, 
it  would  not  be  too  much  trouble  to  inform  me  whether 
or  not  that  sum  is  sufficient,  I  shall  receive  it  as  a  par- 
ticular favor ;  for  if  not,  we  shall  appropriate  it  to 
some  other  use. 

Our  whole  college  fund  consists  of  about  £900  sterl- 
ing, being  the  whole  sum  collected  abroad ;  for  no 
money  collected  without  the  colony  is  made  use  of  in 
the  building,  but  solely  applied  to  endowing  it,  with 
the  strictest  regard  to  the  donor's  intent.  The  interest 
of  this  sum  is  quite  insufficient  to  provide  for  tuition, 
as  two  of  us  are  now  employed,  and  we  stand  in  need 
of  farther  help. 


1773.     Daniel   Horsmanden. 

Horsmanden  (1691-1778)  was  an  eminent  colonial 
lawyer,  who  was  appointed  Recorder  and  Chief  Justice 
of  New  York  in  1763.  He  was  one  of  the  commis- 
sioners appointed  to  inquire  into  the  burning  of  the 
"  Gaspee,"  and  the  following  quotation  is  taken  from  a 
letter  of  his  of  February  21,  1773,  to  the  Earl  of  Dart- 
mouth, relating  to  that  affair,  in  New  York  Colonial 
Documents,  VIII.  351. 


My  Lord,  as  to  the  Govern*  (if  it  deserves  that  name) 
it  is  a  downright  Democracy ;  the  Govr  is  a  mere  nom- 
inal one,  and  therefore  a  Cypher,  without  power  or  au- 
thority, entirely  controuled  by  the  populace  elected  an- 
nually, as  all  other  Magistrates  &  officers  whatsoever. 
The  Governor  treated  the  Commissioners  with  great 


HUGH    FINLAY.  75 

decency  and  respect,  and  to  do  that  Gentleman  justice, 
behaved  with  great  propriety  as  a  Commissioner,  ex- 
cepting his  communicating  your  Lordp's  letter  to  the 
Corporation,  which  indeed  he  seemed  constrained  to  do 
under  the  above  circumstances. 

To  shew  that  the  Govr  has  not  the  least  Power  or  Au- 
thority he  could  not  command  the  Sheriff  or  a  Con- 
stable to  attend  us  ;  he  prevailed  with  them  indeed,  but 
in  expectation  of  being  paid  their  daily  wages  by  the 
Commissioners,  so  that  they  were  hired  for  this  service 
at  our  expence,  and  even  for  expresses  sent  to  summon 
witnesses  the  Commiss"  found  it  necessary  to  advance 
their  own  money  ;  also  for  the  very  fire  wood  expended 
for  our  accommodation  in  the  Council  Chamber  on  this 
occasion ;  this,  My  Lord,  we  readily  disbursed  and  all 
other  contingencies  relying  upon  the  honor  of  Govern*. 


1773.     Hugh  Finlay. 

Hugh  Finlay  was  surveyor  of  post-roads,  for  the 
crown,  in  North  America.  Shortly  before  the  out- 
break of  the  Revolutionary  war  he  made  an  inspection 
of  the  post  offices  between  Falmouth,  Massachusetts 
[Portland,  Maine]  and  Casco  Bay,  and  Savannah, 
Georgia. 

The  following  account  of  his  experiences  is  taken 
from  his  Journal,  which  extends  from  September  13r 
1773,  to  June  26,  1774.  Published  in  Brooklyn,  in 
1867,  pp.  28-32. 

Peter  Mumford  rides  between  Boston  and  New  Port 
in  Rhode  Island ;  he  has  never  given  bond  nor  did  he 


76  PICTURES   OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

ever  take  a  Post  rider's  oath.  He  avers  that  he  is  an 
expeditious  rider  and  faithful  to  the  office  ;  publick  re- 
port is  against  him ;  it  is  said  that  he  carries  more  let- 
ters for  his  own  private  profit  than  are  sent  from  all 
the  offices  he  stops  at,  to  the  office  at  Boston.  He 
transacts  a  great  deal  of  business  on  the  road,  loads 
his '  carriage  with  bundles,  buys  and  sells  on  commis- 
sion, and  in  short  but  carries  the  mail  by  the  by 
as  it  helps  to  defray  his  expences.  Peter  Mum- 
fords  ride  from  Boston  to  New  Port  is  80  miles  passing 
thro'  Providence,  Warren  and  Bristol  for  which  ser- 
vice he  is  obliged  to  keep  three  horses  and  is  paid  £40 
Str.  per  ann. 

He  should  leave  Boston  at  three  o'clock  Monday 
afternoon,  but  I  am  told  that  it  is  5  or  6  ere  he  takes 
horse,  he  arrives  at  Providence,  45  miles,  at  9  o'clock 
next  morning  and  at  New  Port,  35  miles  farther,  at  5 
o'clock  in  the  evening  of  Tuesday.  On  his  return 
from  New  Port  with  the  western  mails  he  leaves  that 
office  on  Friday,  half  past  two  P.  M.,  passing  thro' 
Bristol  and  Warren  he  arrives  at  Providence  between 
7  and  8  o'clock  on  Saturday  morning,  he  leaves  it  at 
9  and  arrives  at  Boston  at  six  in  the  evening  in  fine 
weather. 

Thus  26  hours  are  requir'd  to  ride  80  miles.  The 
reason  of  this  is,  the  rider  sleeps  by  the  way.  If  this 
ride  is  too  much  for  one  man  to  perform  let  the  ride  be 
divided  in  two,  and  let  there  be  no  sleeping.  There's 
three  ferrys  between  Providence  and  New  Port,  one 
near  to  Providence  half  a  mile  wide,  another  at  War- 
ren a  skow  ferry,  and  one  from  the  Main  to  Rhode 
Island  a  mile  over,  they  are  all  well  attended.  Peter 
Mumford  lives  at  New  Port,  were  his  ride  curtailed 
one  half  he  would  stop  at  Providence.  New  Port  has 
but  little  connection  with  Providence  but  their  inter- 
course with  Boston  is  great — by  having  two  riders  it 


HUGH    FINLAY.  77 

wou'd  be  found  difficult  to  transact  business  by  means 
of  the  couriers  between  these  two  places. 
Left  Boston  the  25th  and  rode  45  miles  to 


Providence. 

The  road  is  good  tho'  a  little  rocky  in  some  places. 
John  Carter  is  Deputy  here,  he  is  a  printer,  seemingly 
an  active  sensible  man  :  he  has  had  charge  of  the  office 
two  years. 

26th. — At  the  Post-office — or  rather  the  printing 
office ;  for  there's  no  apartment  appropriated  for  the 
rece't  and  delivery  of  letters,  tho'  they  are  kept  lock'd 
up.  I  find  that  Mr.  Carter  has  never  returned  his 
accounts.  He  has  been  in  dayly  expectation  to  receive 
the  books  of  the  office,  the  instructions  and  the  forms 
from  one  Cole,  the  former  deputy,  but  he  has  put  him 
off  with  excuses  from  day  to  day.  This  Cole's  now  in 
the  country  attending  a  county  Court,  when  he  returns, 
Mr.  Carter  expects  the  books  &c.  will  be  delivered  up 
to  him,  and  he  promises  to  transmit  his  accounts  and 
remit  whatever  may  be  due,  to  the  Comptroller  in 
three  weeks  from  this  day. 

Mr.  Carter  represents  "that  the  mails  from  the 
westward  by  a  late  alteration  in  the  Post  route  now 
cross  five  ferry's  between  Naraganset  and  Providence, 
whereas  by  the  old  route  there's  not  so  much  as  one 
ferry  to  cross." 

For  the  mails  to  cross  five  ferrys,  in  the  small  dis- 
tance of  50  miles  (two  of  them  dangerous  in  winter) 
cannot  be  for  the  Kings  service.  As  an  addition  to 
this  representation,  he  begs  leave  to  observe,  that  after 
the  mails  from  the  Westward  arrive  at  New  London, 
the  printer  there  extracts  all  advices  from  newspapers, 
which  requires  considerable  time ;  the  New  London 
paper  is  afterwards  printed  containing  these  extracts, 


78  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

and  it  is  sent  to  him  by  a  private  conveyance  by  way 
of  Norwich,  by  which  the  New  York  paper  is  also  sent 
to  him,  both  which  he  receives  12  sometimes  14  hours 
before  the  arrival  of  the  Post." 

Left  Providence  the  27th  and  the  28th  arrived  at 
Neuo  Port,  Thomas  Vernon,  Depy.  He  [Mr.  Vernon] 
is  of  opinion  that  much  time  is  lost  by  Peter  Mumford 
between  New  Port  and  Boston.  He  says  that  theres 
two  Post  offices  in  New  Port,  the  King's  and  Mum- 
fords,  and  that  the  revenue  of  the  last  is  greatest.  It 
is  the  same  in  Boston,  both  Mumford  and  the  rider  of 
the  upper  Stages  (Hyde)  receive  much  postage  for 
which  they  do  not  account.  It  is  common  for  people 
who  expect  letters  by  Post  finding  none  at  the  Post 
Office  to  say  "  well  there  must  be  letters,  we'll  find  them 
at  Mumfords."  It  is  next  to  impossible  to  put  a  stop 
to  this  practice  in  the  present  universal  opposition  to 
every  thing  connected  with  Great  Britain.  Were  any 
Deputy  Post  Master  to  do  his  duty,  and  make  a  stir  in 
such  matter,  he  would  draw  on  himself  the  odium  of 
his  neighbours  and  be  marked  as  the  friend  of  Slavery 
and  oppression  and  a  declared  enemy  to  America. 

The  two  ferrys  from  Rhode  Island  over  to  Nara- 
ganset  are  each  three  miles  and  a  half  over ;  in  winter 
when  the  wind  is  ahead,  with  floating  ice,  it  is  both 
very  difficult,  and  exceedingly  dangerous  to  pass,  and 
sometimes  tho'  but  seldom  the  course  of  the  Post  is. 
stopVl  for  a  week,  this  does  not  happen  above  twice  or 
thrice  in  a  year. 


1775-.     Elkanah  Watson. 

Elkanah  Watson  (1758-1842),  passed  his  youth  in 
Hhode  Island.     When  fifteen,  he  was  apprenticed  to 


ELKANAH    WATSON.  79 

John  Brown,  the  Providence  merchant,  from  whom,  as 
he  tells  us  in  his  Memoirs,  he  received  a  father's  kind- 
ness. He  was  one  of  a  volunteer  expedition  to  rescue 
Mr.  Brown,  who  was  captured  by  the  British  when 
sailing  from  Newport  to  Providence,  and  "  sent  to 
Boston  in  irons,  charged  with  heading  a  party  in  1772, 
disguised  as  Indians,  which  burnt  his  Majesty's  schooner 
Gaspee  in  Providence  river.  The  charge  was  true, 
although  the  British  government  could  never  obtain 
any  evidence  of  the  fact."  (Memoirs,  20,  21).  Mr. 
Brown's  release  was  obtained  through  the  efforts  of  his 
brother  Moses.  In  1789,  Mr.  Watson  removed  from 
Providence  to  Albany.  He  did  much  to  encourage  the 
establishment  of  the  canal  system  in  New  York.  This 
extract  is  taken  from  his  Memoirs,  ed.  1856,  p.  67. 

After  all  my  wanderings  and  observation  of  other 
parts  of  the  Confederacy,  I  still  look  upon  Rhode 
Island  as  one  of  the  most  delightful  and  interesting  of 
the  States.  The  year  before  the  Revolution,  it  con- 
tained nearly  sixty  thousand  souls.  It  produced  but- 
ter, beef,  lumber,  horses,  pot  and  pearl  ashes,  and  two 
hundred  thousand  pounds  of  inferior  tobacco. 

Narraganset  Bay,  formed  by  Rhode  Island  on  one 
side,  and  the  fertile  shores  of  Narraganset  upon  the 
other,  and  studded  with  numerous  lovely  islands,  pre- 
sents the  most  delightful  scenery. 

Newport  is  beautifully  situated,  and  was  a  favorite 
resort  of  Southern  people,  on  account  of  its  cool  and 
salubrious  position.  It  had  been  one  of  the  most  com- 
mercial places  in  America,  but  was  then  falling  into 
decay.  Its  fortunes  were  waning  before  the  superior 
activity  and  enterprise  of  its  rival,  Providence. 


80  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

This  city  had,  within  forty  years,  emerged  from  the 
obscurity  of  an  inconsiderable  village  into  a  great 
trading  mart,  that  embraced  a  body  of  perhaps  the  most 
intelligent  merchants  on  the  continent.  It  contained 
at  this  time,  about  five  thousand  inhabitants. 


1 780.     Claude   Blanchard. 

Blanchard  (1742-1802)  was  a  member  of  the  War 
Department  in  France,  and  Commissary-in-chief  with 
Rochambeau  in  his  American  campaign,  during  which 
the  "  Journal  "  was  written.  M.  Blanchard  held  the 
position  of  chairman  of  the  various  military  committees 
of  the  French  Revolutionary  Assembly.  He  fell  under 
the  ban  of  the  Committee  of  Public  Safety,  but  after 
that  body's  disappearance,  he  became  Commissary 
again,  and  served  his  country  in  that  capacity  until  his 
death,  in  1802.  The  extract  given  is  taken  from  his 
Journal  as  translated  by  W.  Duane,  and  edited  by  T. 
Balch,  Albany  1876,  pp.  41-44,  46,  55,  63-65,  71,  72, 
78-80. 


On  the  12th  of  July,  1780,  the  day  after  our  arrival 
.  I  placed  my  foot  upon  the  earth  at  Newport. 
This  city  is  small,  but  handsome ;  the  streets  are 
straight  and  the  houses,  although  mostly  of  wood, 
of  agreeable  shape.  In  the  evening  there  was  an  il- 
lumination. I  entered  the  house  of  an  inhabitant,  who 
received  me  very  well ;  I  took  tea  there,  which  was 
served  by  a  young  lady. 


CLAUDE    BLANCHARD.  81 

On  the  13th,  I  was  at  Papisquash  on  the  main  land, 
twenty  leagues  from  Newport,  to  examine  an  establish- 
ment which  M.  de  Corny  had  arranged  for  our  sick.  I 
stopped  at  Bristol,  a  village  not  far  from  Papisquash, 
and  looked  for  an  inn  where  I  might  dine  ;  but  I  found 
nothing  there  but  coffee  and  badly-raised  bread ;  we 
were  obliged  to  have  it  toasted  to  be  able  to  eat  it.  .  . 
We  were  obliged  to  pay  12  livres  for  the  passage  of  a 
ferry-boat :  they  asked  30  of  us  :  we  found  on  our  way 
some  pretty  houses ;  but  the  country  is  generally  barren 
in  the  part  which  we  traversed ;  there  are  few  trees 
and  they  not  very  hardy.  . 

On  the  1 7th,  in  the  morning,  I  chanced  to  enter  a 
school.  The  master  seemed  to  me  a  very  worthy  man  ; 
he  was  teaching  some  children  of  both  sexes ;  all  were 
neatly  clad,  the  room  in  which  the  school  was  kept  was 
also  very  clean.  I  saw  the  writing  of  these  children, 
it  appeared  to  me  to  be  handsome,  among  others,  that 
of  a  young  girl  9  or  10  years'  old,  very  pretty  and  very 
modest  and  such  as  I  would  like  my  own  daughter  to 
be,  when  she  is  as  old ;  she  was  called  Abigail  Earl,  as 
I  perceived  upon  her  copy-book,  on  which  her  name 
was  written,  I  wrote  it  myself,  adding  to  it  "  very 
pretty."  This  school  had  really  interested  me,  and  the 
master  had  not  the  air  of  a  missionary  but  the  tone  of 
the  father  of  a  family. 

On  the  18th,  I  visited  in  company  with  M.  de 
Rochambeau,  an  Anabaptist  temple,  where  we  estab- 
lished a  hospital. 

On  the  19th,  I  was  at  Papisquash,  where  there  were 
already  280  sick  persons  ;  but  they  were  far  from  being 
provided  with  everything  that  was  necessary  for  them  ; 
fortunately,  they  were  in  a  pretty  good  air.  Papisquash 
forms  a  kind  of  landscape  surrounded  by  trees.  The 
commonest  are  acacias,  pear-trees  and  cherry-trees ; 
the  ground  is  sown  with  flax  and  maize,  with  a  little 
barley  and  rye.  .  .  . 


82  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

We  lived  on  good  terms  with  the  inhabitants  of  this 
neighborhood.  They  are  affable,  well  clad,  very  cleanly, 
and  all  tall.  The  women  enjoy  the  same  advantages, 
have  fair  skins  and  are  generally  pretty.  They  all 
have  oxen  and  cows,  at  least  as  handsome  as  those  of 
our  Poitoti ;  their  cows  are  not  stabled  and  pass  the 
night  in  the  fields  ;  they  give  much  milk.  .  .  . 

The  air  of  Rhode  Island  is  good ;  it  is  hot  there,  but 
only  in  the  middle  of  the  day ;  for  the  mornings  and 
evenings  are  cool  without  being  damp.  .  . 

On  Thursday  I  went  to  Providence  with  M.  Demars. 
I  have  already  spoken  of  this  city  which  I  prefer  to 
Newport ;  it  seems  more  lively,  more  addicted  to  com- 
merce, more  supplies  are  to  be  found  there.  We  there 
established  a  very  considerable  hospital  in  a  very  hand- 
some house,  formerly  occupied  as  a  college.  .  . 

In  the  afternoon,  we  observed  a  plant  which  is  very 
common  in  the  country.  The  botanists  call  it  Racemus 
Americana;  in  France,  it  is  found  only  in  the  gardens 
of  the  botanists.  We  saw  no  other  peculiar  plant 
anywhere  else,  but  much  wild  chickory  and  sorrel 
thorn.  .  .  . 

To-day  I  walked  much  through  the  city ;  I  especially 
visited  the  temple  which  is  pretty  large,  although  built 
of  wood  ;  it  is  very  clean.  I  also  ascended  the  steeple, 
which,  like  all  of  them  in  America,  is  over-loaded  with 
carvings  and  ornaments,  painted  with  different  colors ; 
it  is  likewise  entirely  of  wood. 

On  the  14th,  we  had  rain  until  nine  in  the  morning ; 
the  remainder  of  the  day  was  clear.  I  profited  by  it 
to  walk  alone  in  the  woods  and  upon  the  hills  with 
which  the  city  of  Providence  is  surrounded  ;  these 
solitary  walks  have  always  been  agreeable  to  me.  . 

[On]  the  15th,  I  was  invited  to  a  party  in  the  coun- 
try, to  which  I  went.  It  was  a  sort  of  pic-nic  given 
by  a  score  of  men  to  a  company  of  ladies.  The  pur- 


CLAUDE    BLANCHARD.  83 

pose  of  this  party  was  to  eat  a  turtle,  weighing  three 
or  four  hundred  pounds,  which  an  American  vessel  had 
just  brought  from  one  of  our  islands.  This  meat  did 
not  seem  to  me  to  be  very  palatable ;  it  is  true  that  it 
was  badly  cooked.  There  were  some  quite  handsome 
women  ;  before  dinner  they  kept  themselves  in  a  differ- 
ent room  from  the  men,  they  also  placed  themselves  at 
table  all  on  the  same  side,  and  the  men,  on  the  other. 
They  danced  after  dinner  to  the  music  of  some  instru- 
ments of  Lauzun's  legion,  which  had  been  brought 
there  expressly.  Neither  the  men  nor  the  women 
dance  well ;  all  stretch  out  and  lengthen  their  arms  in 
a  way  far  from  agreeable.  . 

Americans  are  slow  and  do  not  decide  promptly  in 
matters  of  business.  They  love  money  and  hard 
money  ;  it  is  thus  that  they  designate  specie  to  distin- 
guish it  from  paper  money,  which  loses  prodigiously. 
This  loss  varies  according  to  circumstances  and  accord- 
ing to  the  provinces.  Whilst  I  am  writing,  at  Provi- 
dence and  Newport  it  loses  sixty  for  one.  ...  I 
speak  of  this  paper  money  because  we  are  beginning  to 
make  use  of  it  in  our  army  to  pay  some  daily  expenses, 
but  only  to  the  people  of  the  country  ;  .  .  .  On  the 
24th,  I  dined  at  Providence  with  Dr.  Bo  wen,  a  physi- 
cian and  a  respectable  old  man.  .  .  .  They  do  not 
eat  soups  and  do  not  serve  up  ragouts  at  these  dinners  ; 
but  boiled  and  roast  and  much  vegetables.  They  drink 
nothing  but  cider  and  Madeira  wine  with  water.  The 
dessert  is  composed  of  preserved  quinces  or  pickled 
sorrel.  The  Americans  eat  the  latter  with  the  meat. 
They  do  not  take  coffee  immediately  after  dinner,  but 
it  is  served  three  or  four  hours  afterwards  with  tea  ; 
.  .  .  this  use  of  tea  and  coffee  is  universal  in  America. 
Breakfast  is  an  important  affair  with  them.  Besides 
tea  and  coffee,  they  put  on  table  roasted  meats  with 
butter,  pies  and  ham ;  nevertheless  they  sup  and  in 


84  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

the  afternoon  they  again  take  tea.  Thus  the  Amer- 
icans are  almost  always  at  the  table ;  and  as  they  have 
little  to  occupy  them,  as  they  go  out  little  in  winter  and 
spend  whole  days  along  side  of  their  fires  and  their 
wives,  without  reading  and  without  doing  anything, 
going  so  often  to  table  is  a  relief  and  a  preventive  of 
ennui.  Yet  they  are  not  great  eaters. 

They  are  very  choice  in  cups  and  vases  for  holding 
tea  and  coffee,  in  glasses,  decanters  and  other  matters 
of  this  kind  and  in  habitual  use.  They  make  use  of 
wall-papers  which  serve  for  tapestry ;  they  have  them 
very  handsome.  In  many  of  the  houses  there  are  car- 
pets also,  even  upon  their  stairs.  In  general,  the 
houses  are  very  pleasant  and  kept  with  extreme  neat- 
ness, with  the  mechanic  and  the  countryman  as  well  as 
with  the  merchant  and  the  general.  Their  education 
is  very  nearly  the  same ;  so  that  a  mechanic  is  often 
called  to  their  assemblies,  where  there  is  no  distinction, 
no  separate  order.  I  have  already  mentioned  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  entire  country  are  proprietors.  They 
till  the  earth  and  drive  their  oxen  themselves.  .  . 
Burning  a  great  quantity  of  wood  is  one  of  their  luxu- 
ries, it  is  common.  .  .  .  Yet  wood  is  very  dear  owing 
to  the  difficulty  of  transporting  it.  It  costs  us  for  a 
league  about  15  livres  a  cord.  .  .  . 

I  proceeded  to  Coventry,  two  leagues  from  Green- 
wich. General  Greene's  residence  is  there.  My  object 
was  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  wife  of  General  Greene,  whom 
I  happened  to  see  at  Newport  and  Providence.  Mrs. 
Greene  received  us  very  kindly.  She  is  amiable, 
genteel  and  rather  pretty.  As  there  was  no  bread  in 
her  house,  some  was  hastily  made ;  it  was  of  meal  and 
water  mixed  together ;  which  was  then  toasted  at  the 
fire  ;  small  slices  of  it  were  served  up  to  us.  It  is  not 
much  for  a  Frenchman.  As  for  the  Americans,  they 
eat  very  little  bread.  .  .  .  Another  country-house  is 


COUNT    AXEL,    DE    FERSEN.  85 

pretty  near,  inhabited  by  two  ladies,  who  compose  all 
the  society  that  Mrs.  Greene  has ;  in  the  evening  she 
invited  them  to  her  house,  and  we  danced. 


1780.     Count  Axel  de  Fersen. 

Count  Fersen  (1755—1810)  was  a  Swedish  soldier  in 
the  French  service,  and  colonel  of  the  body-guard  of 
Louis  XVI.  He  came  to  the  United  States  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Rochambeau's  staff,  and  wrote  interesting  letters 
to  his  father  in  Europe,  describing  the  men  and  man- 
ners of  the  time.  On  his  return  to  France,  Count 
Fersen  attached  himself  to  the  royal  family,  and  planned 
their  escape  from  Paris  (the  "  night  to  Varennes "). 
On  their  capture,  he  escaped,  and  returned  to  Sweden, 
where  he  was  killed  in  a  riot.  The  extract  given  is 
taken  from  the  Magazine  of  American  History,  II.  303. 


You  know  the  French,  my  dear  father,  and  what  are 
called  the  Court  people  (gens  de  la  cour\  sufficiently  to 
understand  their  despair  at  being  obliged  to  pass  the 
winter  quietly  at  Newport,  far  from  their  mistresses 
and  the  pleasures  of  Paris  ;  no  suppers,  no  theatres,  no 
balls ;  they  are  in  despair ;  only  an  order  to  march  on 
the  enemy  will  console  them.  We  had  some  extreme 
heat  here  during  August ;  I  have  never  felt  anything 
like  it  in  Italy.  Now  the  air  is  cooler,  the  climate 
.suberp  and  the  country  charming.  We  were  on  the 
mainland  about  eight  days  ago  with  the  General.  I 
was  the  only  one  of  his  aids  who  accompanied  him.  We 
remained  ten  days,  and  saw  the  finest  country  imagin- 


86  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

able,  the  inhabitants  well-to-do,  but  without  luxury  or 
display ;  they  are  content  with  the  simple  necessaries 
of  life  which,  in  other  countries  are  left  to  the  lower 
class ;  their  clothing  is  simple  but  good,  and  their 
habits  have  not  yet  been  spoiled  by  European  luxury. 
This  country  will  be  happy  if  it  enjoy  a  long  peace,  and 
if  the  two  parties  which  at  present  divide  it  do  not  bring 
it  to  the  fate  of  Poland  and  of  so  many  other  republics. 
These  two  parties  are  called  the  whigs  and  the  tories. 
The  first  is  wholly  for  liberty  and  independence ;  it  is 
made  up  of  people  of  the  lowest  birth  and  no  property  ;. 
the  greater  part  of  those  who  live  ki  the  interior  of  the 
country  belong  to  it.  The  tories  are  for  the  English, 
or  it  is  more  correct  to  say  for  peace,  not  caring  much 
whether  they  are  free  or  dependent ;  they  belong  to  a 
higher  class,  and  alone  possess  any  property  in  the 
country.  Some  have  relatives  and  lands  in  England ; 
others,  to  preserve  those  which  they  had  in  the  country, 
embraced  the  English  cause,  which  was  the  stronger. 
When  the  whigs  are  the  stronger  they  pillage  the  others 
to  the  best  of  their  ability.  This  is  nursing  a  hatred 
and  animosity  between  them  which  will  be  extinguished 
with  difficulty,  and  remain  the  source  of  a  thousand 
troubles.  .  .  . 

You  see,  my  dear  father,  by  this  showing,  which  is 
very  exact,  the  reasons  which  stand  in  the  way  of  the 
formation  of  an  army,  which  can  only  be  raised  and 
kept  up  by  means  of  money  ;  add  to  this  that  the  spirit 
of  patriotism  only  exists  in  the  chief  and  principal  men 
in  the  country,  who  are  making  very  great  sacrifices ; 
the  rest  who  make  up  the  great  mass  think  only  of 
their  personal  interests.  Money  is  the  controlling  idea 
in  all  their  actions,  they  only  think  of  how  it  may  be 
gained  ;  every  one  is  for  himself,  no  one  for  the  general 
good.  The  inhabitants  of  the  coast,  even  the  best 
Whigs,  carry  to  the  English  fleet  anchored  in  Gardner 


MARQUIS    DE   CHASTELLUX.  87 

bay  provisions  of  all  kinds,  and  this  because  they  are 
well  paid  ;  they  overcharge  us  mercilessly  ;  everything 
is  enormously  dear ;  in  all  the  dealings  we  have  had 
with  them  they  have  treated  us  more  like  enemies  than 
friends.  Their  greed  is  unequalled,  money  is  their 
God  ;  virtue,  honor,  all  count  for  nothing  to  them  com- 
pared with  the  precious  metal.  I  do  not  mean  that 
there  are  no  estimable  people  of  noble  and  generous 
character ;  there  are  many,  but  I  speak  of  the  nation 
in  general ;  I  believe  they  are  more  like  the  Dutch 
than  the  English. 


1780.     Marquis  de  Chastellux. 

Fra^ois  Jean,  Marquis  de  Chastellux  (1734-1788), 
was  a  French  soldier  and  author  who  served  in  Amer- 
ica under  Rochambeau.  He  wrote  several  works  rela- 
ting to  America.  His  Voyage  en  VAmerique  Septentrio- 
nale  dans  les  Annees  1780-' 2  (Paris,  1786;  English 
translation  by  George  Grieve,  London,  1787),  includes 
his  journal  written  when  traveling  from  Newport  to 
Philadelphia  and  Virginia. 

Chastellux  was  a  member  of  the  order  of  the  Cincin- 
nati. The  extract  given  is  taken  from  his  Voyage  en 
VAmerique,  p.  6  et  seq.  [November,  1780.] 


The  12th  I  set  out  at  half-past  eight  for  Provi- 
dence [from  Warren] ,  where  I  arrived  at  noon.  I 
alighted  at  the  College,  that  is  to  say,  at  our  Hospital, 
which  I  examined,  and  dined  with  Mr.  Blanchard, 
Commissary  of  war.  At  half  past  four  I  went  to  Col- 


88  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

onel  Bowen's,  where  I  had  lodged  in  my  first  journey  ; 
I  drank  tea  there  with  several  ladies,  one  of  whom, 
rather  handsome,  was  called  Miss  Angel.  I  was  then 
conducted  to  Mrs.  Varnum's,  where  I  again  found 
company,  and  from  thence  to  Governor  Bowen's,  who 
gave  me  a  bed. 

The  13th  I  breakfasted  with  Colonel  Peck ;  He  is 
an  amiable  and  polite  young  man,  who  passed  the  last 
summer  with  General  Heath  at  Newport.  He  received 
me  in  a  charming  small  house,  where  he  lived  with  his 
wife,  who  is  young  also,  and  has  a  pleasing  counte- 
nance, but  without  anything  striking.  This  little  estab- 
lishment, where  comfort  and  simplicity  reign,  gave 
an  idea  of  that  sweet  and  serene  state  of  happiness, 
which  appears  to  have  taken  refuge  in  the  New  World, 
after  compounding  it  with  pleasure,  to  which  it  has  left 
the  Old. 

The  town  of  Providence  is  built  on  the  bank  of  a 
river  only  six  miles  long,  and  which  disembogues  itself 
in  the  Gulph  wherein  are  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut, 
Providence,  &c.  It  has  only  one  street,  which  is  very 
long;  the  suburb,  which  is  considerable,  is  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river.  This  town  is  handsome,  the  houses 
are  not  spacious,  but  well-built,  and  properly  arranged 
within.  It  is  pent  in  between  two  chains  of  moun- 
tains, one  to  the  north,  and  the  other  to  the  southwest, 
which  causes  an  insupportable  heat  in  summer ;  but  it 
is  exposed  to  the  north-west  wind,  which  rakes  it  from 
one  end  to  the  other,  and  renders  it  extremely  cold  in 
winter.  Its  situation  is  very  advantageous  for  com- 
merce ;  which  accordingly  is  very  considerable  in  times 
of  peace.  Merchant  ships  may  load  and  unload  their 
cargoes  in  the  town  itself,  and  ships  of  war  cannot 
approach  the  harbour.  Their  commerce  is  the  same 
with  that  of  Rhode  Island  and  .Boston ;  they  export 
slaves,  and  salt  provisions,  and  bring  back  salt,  and  a 


REV.   DR.   SAMUEL    HOPKINS.  89 

great  quantity  of  melasses,  sugar,  and  other  articles 
from  the  West  Indies ;  they  fit  out  vessels  also  for  the 
cod  and  whale  fishery.  The  latter  is  carried  on  suc- 
cessfully between  Cape  Cod  and  Long  Island ;  but 
they  go  often  as  far  as  Baffin's  Streights,  and  Falk- 
land's Island.  The  inhabitants  of  Providence,  like 
those  of  Newport,  also  carry  on  the  Guinea  trade ; 
they  buy  slaves  there  and  carry  them  to  the  West- 
Indies,  where  they  take  bills  of  exchange  on  Old  Eng- 
land, for  which  they  receive  woollens,  stuffs,  and  other 
merchandize.* 


1780.     Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Hopkins. 

Samuel  Hopkins  (1721-1803),  the  eminent  theolo- 
gian, was  at  two  separate  times  pastor  of  one  of  the 
Newport  churches.  He  was  much  interested  in  the 
emancipation  of  negro  slaves.  He  freed  his  own,  and 
originated  the  idea  of  sending  the  liberated  slaves  to 
Africa.  He  was  an  exceedingly  modest  and  devout 
man,  and  the  founder  of  a  school  of  modified  Calvinism 
known  as  Hopkinsianism.  He  is  said  to  have  been 
the  original  of  one  of  the  principal  characters  in  Mrs. 
Stowe's  "  Minister's  Wooing."  This  quotation  is  taken 
from  Sketches  of  the  Life  of  the  late  Rev.  Samuel  Hop- 
kins, D.D.j  written  by  himself,  Hartford,  1805,  pp.  78,  81. 

*  Here  are  several  places  of  public  worship,  an  university,  and 
other  public  buildings  ;  and  a  very  brisk  trade  was  carried  on  even 
at  the  worst  period  of  the  war  for  American  commerce,  viz.  in  1782. 
Mr.  Welcome  Arnold,  a  great  plumber,  and  Delegate  to  Congress 
from  this  state,  has  changed  his  name  by  act  of  Assembly,  since  the 
detection  of  Benedict  Arnold.  (TRANSLATOR.  ) 


90  PICTUEES    OF   RHODE    ISLAND. 

My  church  and  congregation  were  greatly  dimin- 
ished. Some  had  died,  while  the  British  were  here, 
and  many  had  removed  into  the  country,  who  had  not 
yet  returned,  and  numbers  were  so  settled  in  the  coun- 
try, that  they  were  not  likely  to  return  soon,  if  ever. 
And  those  who  remained  in  town  were  so  reduced  in 
their  worldly  circumstances,  and  dejection  of  their 
minds,  by  living  so  long  under  the  tyrarny  of  the  Brit- 
ish, that,  excepting  a  very  few,  they  had  not  courage 
enough  to  think  or  do  much  to  preserve  the  congrega- 
tion from  coming  to  nothing,  by  supporting  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel.  And  it  was  a  particular  discour- 
agement that  the  meeting  house  was  so  damaged,  by 
being  made  a  barrack  for  soldiers,  that  we  could  not 
meet  in  it.  The  bell  was  taken  away  by  the  British, 
when  they  left  the  town  ;  and  the  pulpit  and  most  of 
the  inside  work  was  demolished  or  taken  away.  And 
the  few  who  were  here  had  not  courage  or  ability  to  re- 
pair it.  I  continued  more  than  a  year  among  them, 
while  in  this  situation,  having  no  support,  but  what 
was  given  by  a  few  generous  friends  ;  the  congregation 
doing  nothing,  as  a  congregation,  not  having  courage 
to  attempt  to  have  so  much  as  a  public  contribution  for 
a  considerable  time. 

A  better,  though  precarious,  settlement  was  soon 
made. 

The  church  and  congregation  have  been  enabled,  by 
divine  providence,  in  some  good  measure  to  repair  the 
meeting  house  ;  and  do  yet  subsist.  But  they  are  so 
diminished  by  deaths  and  removals ;  that  the  appear- 
ance now  is,  that  when  death  shall  remove  me  from 
them,  which  may  be  expected  to  be  soon,  they  will  be 
dissolved  as  a  church  and  congregation,  unless  there 
should  be  an  unexpected  revolution  in  their  disposi- 
tions and  circumstances.  But  this  I  would  leave  with 
him,  who  knows  what  to  do  with  me,  with  them,  and 
with  all  things  else. 


BARON  CROMOT  DUBOURG.  91 

1781.      Rev.   Dr.  Samuel   Hopkins. 

See  above,  p.  89.  The  letter  is  quoted  from  Dr. 
Stiles' s  Diary  (upon  which  see  p.  72),  in  Dr.  Edwards 
A.  Parks's  Memoir  of  Hopkins,  Boston,  1854,  p.  107. 

"New  Haven,  1781.  Received  a  letter  from  Rev. 
Mr.  Hopkins,  dated  Newport,  January  26  ;  wherein  he 
says,  speaking  of  the  state  of  religion  there,  '  Every 
thing  is  dark  and  discouraging  here,  with  respect  to  the 
all-important  interest.  The  people  in  general  are  going 
from  bad  to  worse,  and  I  now  see  no  way  for  my  contin- 
uing here  longer  than  till  spring.  Neither  your  people 
nor  mine  are  disposed  to  attend  public  worship  con- 
stantly, except  a  few  individuals.  There  is  but  little 
encouragement  to  preach,  where  there  is  so  little  atten- 
tion, and  so  very  little  concern  about  any  thing  in- 
visible/ " 


1781.     Baron  Cromot  Dubourg. 

Cromot  Dubourg  (1756-1836),  entered  the  French 
army  when  twelve,  and  upon  Rochambeau's  departure 
for  America  was  permitted  to  join  the  expedition  a& 
aid-de-camp.  He  won  some  distinction  before  York- 
town,  but  upon  his  return  to  France  devoted  his  for- 
tunes to  those  of  Royalty,  and  joined  the  ranks  of  the 
emigres.  He  was  so  fortunate  as  to  be  remembered 
by  the  restored  Bourbons,  and  was  made  honorary 
marshal  de  camp.  Balch  says,  in  his  "  French  in 


92  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

America"  (1895),  II.  91,  that  Dubourg  left  an  un- 
published diary  of  his  first  campaign  in  America,  in 
1781,  of  which  the  original  has  been  lost  or  mislaid. 
This  extract  is  taken  from  a  text  in  the  Magazine  of 
American  History,  IV.  209,  entitled  "  Diary  of  a 
French  Officer,  1781  (presumed  to  be  that  of  Baron 
Cromot  du  Bourg,  Aid  to  Rochambeau),  from  an  un- 
published Manuscript  in  the  possession  of  C.  Fiske 
Harris,  of  Providence,  R.  I." 


May  9,  In  the  morning  I  left  my  resting  place  for 
Newport  at  a  very  early  hour.  The  country  seemed  to 
me  less  wooded  but  as  little  improved  as  the  town ;  as 
a  whole  it  is  not  inhabited.  The  villages  are  immense. 
They  are  some  four  or  five  miles  in  extent  and  even 
more  and  the  houses  scattered.  I  passed  through 
Bristol  which  was  formerly  quite  a  commercial  town ; 
that  was  before  the  war,  for  it  has  felt  this  scourge 
severely.  When  the  English  withdrew  they  burned 
more  than  three-fourths  of  the  houses  and  they  have 
not  yet  been  rebuilt.  I  at  last  crossed  Bristol  Ferry 
which  separates  Rhode  Island  from  the  Continent. 
The  arm  of  the  sea  is  about  a  mile  wide.  I  am  now 
arrived  at  Newport  and  propose  to  examine  the  coun- 
try with  a  little  more  care. 

(Side  Note).  Some  of  the  villages  appear  to  me  to  be 
from  15  to  20  miles  long. 

I  arrived  at  Newport  the  9th  May,  1781,  as  I  have 
just  said,  and  my  first  care,  after  having  performed  the 
duties  which  my  service  required,  was  to  study  the 
country  in  which  I  found  myself. 

Rhode  Island  is  in  its  extreme  length  at  most  fifteen 
miles,  and  the  widest  part  of  the  Island  five. 

It  must  have  been  one  of  the  most  pleasing  spots  in 


BARON  CROMOT  DUBOURG.  93 

the  world  before  the  war,  since  notwithstanding  the 
disasters  it  has  suffered,  some  of  its  houses  destroyed, 
and  all  its  woods  cut  down,  the  Island  is  still  a  charm- 
ing residence. 

The  Island  is  very  much  cut  up,  that  is  all  the  land 
belonging  to  the  different  proprietors  is  enclosed  by 
walls  of  stone  piled  one  upon  another  or  by  wooden 
fences.  There  are  some  farms  in  which  barley  and 
other  grains  grow  admirably.  Great  quantities  of  Tur- 
key grain,  otherwise  called  maize,  are  grown  here. 
There  are,  as  in  Xormandy,  extensive  orchards  and  the 
country  bears  about  the  same  fruits  as  those  of  France. 
If  it  were  cultivated  as  our  provinces  are  the  produc- 
tions would  be  much  greater,  the  soil  being  very  good 
and  the  grass  superb.  It  is  cut  by  numerous  small 
streams.  The  inhabitants  are  inactive  and  consequently 
not  laborious. 

(Side  Note).  The  measure  is  here  as  well  as  on  the 
Continent  by  miles  as  in  England — three  miles  make 
a  league. 

There  is  very  little  game  on  the  Island,  some  par- 
tridge rather  larger  than  our  own,  some  sea  fowl  and 
birds  of  passage,  but  there  are  neither  hare  nor  rabbits 
nor  wild  beasts.  The  birds  differ  a  little  from  our  own 
— part  of  the  wings  of  the  black  bird  is  red.  There  is  a 
kind  of  heron  the  plumage  of  which  is  tinged  with 
various  blue — a  bird  which  is  called  the  Widow,  the 
body  of  which  as  well  as  the  breast  is  black,  but  the 
head  of  a  very  handsome  yellow  and  a  part  of  the  wings 
of  the  same  color.  There  are  Cardinal  birds  of  the 
same  size  as  the  black  bird  but  almost  entirely  red. 
The  crows  are  of  a  smaller  kind  than  ours. 

There  are  cows,  pigs  aud  sheep  precisely  as  in 
France.  There  are  also  numbers  of  geese  and  turkeys 
of  the  same  kind  as  our  own ;  the  horses  are  generally 
quite  good  although  in  less  variety  than  I  had  sup- 


94  PICTURES   OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

posed,  the  English  having  introduced  their  breed  here 
as  well  as  on  the  main  land.  They  are  extremely  dear, 
a  horse  which  would  be  worth  20  lois  in  France,  will 
here  bring  40  or  50  at  least.  Their  great  merit  is  in 
being  excellent  leapers,  being  early  trained.  They 
have  all  the  gait  which  we  term  the  amble,  of  which  it 
is  extremely  difficult  to  break  them. 

The  coast  of  the  Island  abounds  in  fish.  The  cod  is 
very  abundant,  some  sturgeon,  great  quantities  of  mack- 
erel, shad,  black  fish  and  many  varieties  of  shell  fish. 

I  found  the  army  in  the  best  possible  condition,  very 
few  sick  and  the  troops  in  splendid  order. 

The  Island  seemed  to  me  to  be  so  fortified  that  a 
landing  was  no  way  to  be  feared,  at  least  if  one  should 
be  made  no  ill  result- need  be  feared  from  it. 

Newport  is  the  only  town  on  the  Island,  there  being 
besides  but  a  few  scattered  buildings  to  which  the  name 
of  farm  houses  is  given.  Three-fourths  of  these  houses 
are  small  farms. 

There  are  but  two  streets  of  any  consequence  in  the 
town.  It  is  well  built  and  quite  pretty ;  it  must  be 
quite  commercial  and  therefore  much  more  prosperous 
before  the  war. 

The  Fort  is  to  the  south  west  of  the  town  and  of  con- 
siderable size.  The  troops  encamped  last  year  in  front 
of  the  town  to  the  south  west ;  the  camp  extends  from 
the  south  east  of  the  Town  almost  to  the  north  of  it. 
In  front  of  the  port  to  the  south  west  of  the  town,  a 
half  a  mile  distant,  is  Goat  Island,  upon  which  there  is 
a  battery  of  eight  pieces  of  twenty-four,  which  defend 
the  entrance  to  the  Harbor ;  to  the  south  west  of  Goat 
Island  the  Brenton  battery  of  twelve  pieces  of  twenty- 
four  and  four  twelve  inch  mortars,  the  fire  of  which 
crosses  that  of  the  vessels  in  the  harbor.  The  Brenton 
battery  is  a  half  mile  from  Goat  Island. 

About  three  quarters  of  a  mile  to  the  north  west  of 


ABB6    CLAUDE    C.    ROBIN.  95 

•Goat  Island  is  the  Battery  of  Rose  Island  of  twenty 
pieces  of  thirty-six  and  four  mortars  of  twelve  inches 
upon  which  the  right  of  the  vessels  rests ;  it  defends 
not  only  the  entrance  of  the  Harbor  but  reaches  every- 
thing that  might  pass  it. 

The  battery  of  Brenton's  Point,  of  which  I  have  just 
spoken,  is  about  one  and  a  quarter  miles  by  sea  to  the 
south  west  of  the  town  ;  all  along  the  coast  to  the  south 
west  of  Brenton's  point  there  are  several  guard  posts 
and  some  redoubts  which  also  defend  the  entrance  to 
the  Harbor.  To  the  north  west  of  the  town  is  Coasters 
Island  where  there  is  a  battery  of  three  pieces  of  can- 
non. It  is  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  town* 
and  a  quarter  from  the  coast.  This  battery  commands 
that  part  of  the  entrenched  camp  which  lies  to  the  north 
of  its  position. 

There  are  several  Guard  posts  scattered  along  the 
coasts  with  Redoubts  at  the  places  where  it  would  be 
possible  for  an  enemy  to  land,  so  that  should  a  descent 
be  effected  the  smallness  of  the  Island  would  allow  of 
the  troops  being  moved  in  a  very  short  time  to  its  cen- 
tre, there  to  defend  themselves,  and  they  would  there 
have  the  advantage  of  the  entrenched  camp,  from 
which  it  would  be,  by  reason  of  its  situation,  extremely 
•difficult  to  dislodge  them. 

As  for  the  Harbor,  it  seemed  to  me  from  the  posi- 
tion of  the  batteries  and  the  range  of  fire  of  our  Ves- 
sels that  if  they  were  attacked  it  would  be  absolutely 
impossible  for  the  enemy  to  force  an  entrance.  * 


1781.     Abbe  Claude  C.  Robin. 

The  Abb6  Robin  was  a  chaplain  in  Rochambeau's 
army.     He  was  among  the  most  entertaining  of  the 


96  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

French  commentators  who  were  "  amang  us,  takin* 
notes"  at  that  time.  His  Nouveau  Voyage  dans 
I'Amerique  Septentrionale  en  V  Annee  1781,  consists  of 
thirteen  letters,  first  published  in  Paris  in  1782.  An 
English  edition  appeared  at  Philadelphia  in  1783,  en- 
titled New  Travels  through  North  America.  The  quo- 
tation given  is  taken  from  this  book,  p.  22,  et  seq. 

Camp  at  Philipsburg,  July  30,  1781. 
SIR, 

I  found  the  army  at  Providence,  encamped  on  a, 
rising  ground  [Rochambeau  Avenue] .  This  is  a  con- 
siderable town,  and  pretty  well  peopled ;  some  of  the 
houses  are  built  of  brick  and  others  of  wood ;  it  i& 
situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Patuxit,  at  the 
bottom  of  a  bay  betwixt  the  States  of  Massachusetts, 
Connecticut,  and  Rhode-Island  :  This  situation  affords 
it  a  gainful  commerce  in  corn,  maize,  lumber,  and  salt 
provisions  for  the  islands  ;  there  are  also  many  vessels 
built  here.  .  .  . 

When,  at  length,  arrived  at  the  place  destined  for 
our  encampment,  we  have  still  to  wait  during  the  hot- 
test part  of  the  day  for  the  baggage  waggons,  before  we 
can  take  any  repose.  .  .  .  Our  young  Generals,  who 
have  been  bred  in  ease  and  delicacy,  bear  up  under 
these  fatigues  with  a  degree  of  resolution  that  makes 
me  blush  for  my  weakness.  .  .  .  they  encourage  the 
soldiery  under  the  severity  of  duty  by  marching  before 
them  on  foot.* 

*The  difficulty  of  providing  sufficiency  of  carriages,  and  finding 
provision  to  support  the  horses  or  oxen,  obliged  Count  Rochambeau 
to  order,  that  no  officer  should  carry  with  him  more  than  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  pounds  weight,  including  tents,  beds,  &c  and  thus  it 
happened  in  our  long  march,  in  a  country  where  there  are  so  few 
resources,  that  almost  all  of  us  were  in  want  of  some  one  necessary- 
or  another. 


ABB£  CLAUDE  c.  KOBIN.  97 


The  Americans,  whom  curiosity  brings  by  thousands 
to  our  camp,  are  constantly  received  with  good  humour 
and  festivity  :  and  our  military  music,  of  which  they 
are  extravagantly  fond,  is  then  played  for  their  diver- 
sion. At  such  times  officers,  soldiers,  Americans,  of 
both  sexes,  all  intermingle  and  dance  together; — it  is 
the  feast  of  equality ;  and  these  are  the  first  fruits  of  the 
alliance  which  is,  we  hope,  to  subsist  perpetually  be- 
tween the  two  nations.  .  .  .  The  familiar  appellation 
of  brother,  given  some  of  them  by  the  Marquis,*  ex- 
cited their  curiosity  and  respect  to  a  great  degree ;  and 
the  young  American  Ladies  have  always  considered  it 
as  one  of  their  greatest  honours,  to  have  danced  with 
that  nobleman.  .  .  . 

Before  I  arrived  here,  I  had  no  expectations  of 
discovering  the  traces  of  the  French  modes  and  fash- 
ions, in  the  midst  of  the  wilds  and  forests  of  Amer- 
ica. The  head  dresses  of  all  the  women,  except 
Quakers,  are  high,  spreading  and  decked  profusely 
with  our  gauzes  :  and  here  I  cannot  but  reflect  on  the 
oddness  of  their  taste,  when  I  find,  through  the  whole 
state  of  Connecticut  [?],  so  prevailing  an  inclination 
for  dress,  (I  may  say  to  a  degree  of  extravagance)  with 
manners  at  the  same  time  so  simple  and  so  pure,  as  to 
resemble  those  of  the  ancient  patriarchal  age.  Pulse, 
Indian  corn,  and  milk  are  their  most  common  kinds  of 
food ;  they  also  use  much  tea,  and  this  sober  infusion 
constitutes  the  chief  pleasure  of  their  lives  ;  there  is 
not  a  single  person  to  be  found,  who  does  not  drink  it 
out  of  china  cups  and  saucers,  and,  upon  your  entering 
a  house,  the  greatest  mark  of  civility  and  welcome  they 
can  show  you,  is  to  invite  you  to  drink  it  with  them. 
In  countries  where  the  inhabitants  live  upon  foods  and 

*  M.  le  Marquis  de  la  Fayette  is  universally  known  to  the  Amer- 
icans, by  his  title  of  Marquis. 


98  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

drinks  of  the  most  substantial  kind,  it  may  be  useful  to 
the  health,  but  I  believe  it  is  prejudicial  in  those  where 
they  subsist  mostly  on  vegetables  and  milk,  especially 
when  the  soil,  yet  too  much  shaded  by  the  woods, 
makes  them  the  less  nourishing ;  and  perhaps  this  may 
be  one  of  the  causes,  that  with  a  robust  and  healthy 
constitution,  their  lives  here  are  much  shorter  than 
those  of  the  inhabitants  of  other  countries.  The  loss 
of  their  teeth  is  also  attributed  to  the  too  frequent  use 
of  tea  ;  the  women,  who  are  commonly  very  handsome, 
are  often,  at  eighteen  or  twenty  years  of  age,  entirely 
deprived  of  this  most  precious  ornament ;  though,  I 
am  of  opinion,  this  premature  decay  may  be  rather  the 
effect  of  warm  bread  :  for  the  English,  the  Flemish, 
and  the  Dutch,  who  are  great  tea  drinkers,  preserve 
their  teeth  sound  a  long  time. 

Scattered  about  among  the  forests,  the  inhabitants 
have  little  intercourse  with  each  other,  except  when 
they  go  to  church.  Their  dwel ling-houses  are  spacious, 
proper,  airy,  and  built  of  wood,  and  are  at  least  one 
story  in  height,  and  herein  they  keep  all  their  furniture 
and  substance.  In  all  of  them  that  I  have  seen,  I 
never  failed  to  discover  traces  of  their  active  and  in- 
ventive genius.  They  all  know  how  to  read,  and  the 
greatest  part  of  them  take  the  Gazette,  printed  in  their 
village,  which  they  often  dignify  with  the  name  of  town 
or  city.  I  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  entered  a 
single  house,  without  seeing  a  huge  family  bible,  out  of 
which  they  read  on  evenings  and  Sundays  to  their 
household.  They  are  of  a  cold,  slow  and  indolent  dis- 
position, and  averse  to  labour ;  the  soil,  with  a  mode- 
rate tillage,  supplying  them  with  considerably  more 
than  they  can  consume  :  they  go  and  return  from  their 
fields  on  horseback,  and  in  all  this  country  you  will 
scarcely  see  a  traveller  on  foot  :  the  mildness  of  their 


ABB£  CLAUDE  c.  ROBIN.  99 

character  is  as  much  owing  to  climate  as  to  their  cus- 
toms and  manners,  for  you  find  the  same  softness  of 
disposition  even  in  the  animals  of  the  country.  The 
horses  are  of  excellent  breed,  and  it  is  common  for 
them  to  go  long  journeys  at  the  rate  of  fifty  or  sixty 
miles  a-day  :  they  are  very  teachable,  and  it  is  a  rare 
thing  to  find  any  of  them  stubborn  or  skittish  ;  the  dog 
is  here  of  a  fawning,  timid  nature,  and  the  strangest 
figure  of  a  man  need  not  fear  any  violence  from  him. 
I  have  observed,  too,  by  the  way,  that  his  voice  is 
rather  broken  and  hoarse,  as  well  as  that  of  the  cock. 
The  Americans  of  these  parts  are  very  hospitable ; 
.  .  There  is  such  a  confidence  in  the  public  virtue 
that,  from  Boston  to  Providence,  I  have  often  met 
young  women  travelling  alone  on  horseback ;  or  in 
small  riding  chairs,  through  the  woods,  even  when  the 
day  was  far  upon  the  decline. 

These  American,  husbandmen,  more  simple  in  their 
manners  than  our  peasants,  have  also  less  of  their  rough- 
ness, and  rusticity  ;  more  enlightened,  they  have  neither 
their  low  cunning  nor  dissimulation  ;  farther  removed 
from  luxurious  arts,  and  less  laborious,  they  are  not  so 
much  attached  to  ancient  usages,  but  are  far  more  dex- 
terous in  inventing  and  perfecting  whatever  tends  to 
the  conveniency  and  comfort  of  life. 

The  whole  country,  from  Boston  to  Providence,  is 
level ;  and  I  have  in  this  extent  met  with  brooks, 
which  we  would  call  rivers ;  their  beds,  in  those  places 
where  I  passed,  looked  as  if  they  had  been  hollowed 
out  of  a  soil  of  soft  and  spungy  stone,  of  a  grey  and 
red  complexion. 


100  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

1772.     Prince  de  Broglie. 

Claude  Victor  Marie,  Prince  de  Broglie  (1757— 
1794),  a  French  soldier  and  volunteer  in  the  War  for 
American  Independence,  came  to  this  country  in  1782, 
in  the  frigate  which  brought  two  million  five  hundred 
thousand  livres  for  Congress.  After  his  return  he  joined 
the  French  Revolutionary  army,  and  lost  his  life, 
finally,  during  the  Reign  of  Terror. 

The  following  extract  is  taken  from  the  "  Narrative 
of  the  Prince  de  Broglie,"  translated  by  E.  W.  Balch, 
from  an  unpublished  MS.,  and  published  in  the  Maga- 
zine of  American  History,  I.  375. 


The  day's  journey  from  New  London  to  Newport  is 
heavy  work.  It  is  about  fifty-five  miles  of  bad  road, 
besides  which  there  are  two  ferries  to  pass.  The  first 
is  of  no  consequence.  ^%#Wj 

The  second,  called  Conanicut  Ferry,  separates  the 
mainland  from  the  island  of  Newport.  It  is  a  good 
league  wide  and  not  always  safe.  We  arrived  there  at 
night.  The  business  of  embarking  the  horses,  and  the 
anxiety  of  fear  of  some  of  the  passengers  as  the  bark 
rolled  to  and  fro,  was  not  at  all  amusing,  especially  at 
at  night.  We  passed  about  an  hour  in  this  critical 
fashion,  and  at  last  the  "  pilot "  finished  by  striking  a 
sand  bank  about  two  hundred  steps  from  the  place  where 
we  should  have  landed.  All  the  passengers,  masters 
and  servants  were  compelled  to  work  so  as  to  disen- 
gage us.  We  jumped  into  the  water  where  it  was 
about  two  feet  deep,  and  thus  it  was  that  we  made  our 
entrance  into  Newport ;  that  charming  place,  regret- 


PRINCE    DE    BROGLIE.  101 

ted  by  the  whole  army,  for  that  is  the  way  in  which 
everybody  speaks  of  it. 

As  my  companions  and  myself  entered  this  town 
with  all  these  agreeable  impressions,  we  immediately  set 
ourselves  to  work  to  make  acquaintance  with  its  society. 

That  same  evening  M.  Vauban  introduced  us  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Cham  plain,  well  enough  known  to  us  for 
his  wealth,  but  much  more  known  in  the  army  for  the 
lovely  face  of  his  daughter.  She  was  not  in  the  draw- 
ing-room at  the  moment  of  our  arrival,  but  she  ap- 
peared an  instant  after.  It  is  useless  to  say  that  we 
examined  her  with  attention,  which  was  to  treat  her 
handsomely,  for  the  result  of  our  observation  was  to 
find  that  she  had  beautiful  eyes  and  an  agreeable  mouth, 
a  lovely  face,  a  fine  figure,  a  pretty  foot,  and  the  gen- 
eral eifect  altogether  attractive.  She  added  to  all  these 
advantages  that  of  being  dressed  and  coiffee  with  taste, 
that  is  to  say  in  the  french  fashion,  besides  which  she 
spoke  and  understood  our  language. 

We  rendered  to  her  charms  the  tribute  of  admiration 
and  polite  civility  due  to  them,  and  then  we  hastened 
off  for  the  purpose  of  saying  just  about  the  sam'e  thing 
concerning  the  Misses  Hunter,  who  were  her  rivals  in 
beauty  and  in  reputation. 

The  elder,  without  being  regularly  handsome,  had 
what  one  might  call  a  noble  appearance  and  an  air  of 
aristocratic  birth.  Her  physiognomy  is  intellectual  and 
refined.  There  was  grace  in  all  her  movements.  Her 
toilette  was  quite  as  finished  as  that  of  Mademoiselle 
Champlain,  but  she  is  not  altogether  as  fresh,  in  spite 
of  what  Fersen  said. 

The  younger  sister,  Nancy  Hunter,  is  not  quite  so 
stylish  looking,  but  she  is  a  perfect  rosebud.  Her 
character  is  gay,  a  smile  always  upon  her  countenance, 
with  lovely  teeth,  a  thing  seldom  met  with  in  America. 

Enchanted  with  these  first  specimens  of  Newport,  we 


102  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

returned  home  at  an  early  hour.  Vauban  promised  us 
something  even  better  for  the  next  day,  and  he  kept  hi& 
word.  Without  saying  where  he  was  conducting  us, 
he  took  us  to  a  house  where  an  old  gentleman,  very 
serious,  very  silent,  received  us  without  taking  off  his 
hat,  bade  us  sit  down  without  compliments,  and  only 
answered  in  monosyllables  to  the  observations  which  we 
addressed  to  him. 

This  first  interview  seemed  to  us  very  queer,  and  we 
began  to  suspect  that  we  must  be  in  the  house  of  a 
Quaker.  Just  then  the  door  open  [ed] ,  and  in  came  the 
very  goddess  of  grace  and  beauty.  It  was  Minerva 
herself,  who  had  exchanged  her  warlike  vestments  for 
the  charms  of  a  simple  shepherdess.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  a  Shaking  Quaker.  Her  name  was  Polly 
Lawton.  According  to  the  custom  of  her  sect,  when 
she  spoke  to  us  she  used  "  thou,"  but  with  a  grace  and 
simplicity  only  to  be  compared  to  that  of  her  costume. 
This  was  a  species  of  English  gown,  pretty  close  to  the 
figure,  white  as  milk,  an  apron  of  the  same  whiteness, 
a  fichu  very  full  and  firmly  fastened.  Her  headdress 
was  a  simple  little  cap  of  very  fine  muslin,  plaited  and 
passed  around  the  head,  which  allowed  only  half  an 
inch  of  hair  to  be  visible,  but  which  had  the  effect  of 
giving  to  Polly  the  air  of  a  Holy  Virgin. 

She  seemed  to  be  in  no  respect  conscious  of  her 
charms.  She  spoke  with  ease,  and  a  thoued  "  like  the 
Quakers  the  most  unaffected  and  polite  remarks.  She 
enchanted  all  of  us,  which  she  discovered,  and  did  not 
appear  dissatisfied  at  pleasing  those  that  she  kindly 
called  her  friends. 

I  acknowledge  that  this  attractive  Polly  appeared  to- 
me the  most  exquisite  work  of  Nature,  and  that  every 
time  her  image  occurs  to  me  I  am  tempted  to  write  a 
big  book  against  the  dressing,  the  theatrical  graces,  and 
the  coquetishness  of  certain  rich  ladies  much  admired 
in  the  world  of  fashion. 


PRINCE    DE    BROGLIE.  103 

Polly  had  a  sister  dressed  like  herself,  and  of  a  very 
agreeable  appearance,  but  one  had  not  the  time  to  look 
at  her  while  her  elder  sister  was  present. 

Miss  Brinley,  Miss  Sylvan  and  some  other  ladies  to 
whom  I  was  introduced  after  having  quitted  the  lovely 
Quakeress,  convinced  me  that  Newport  possessed  more 
than  one  rosebud. 

All  these  young  people  appeared  to  regret  very  much 
the  absence  of  our  army.  They  declared  that  since  the 
French  had  left  there  had  been  no  more  amusements 
nor  conversation  parties.  This  little  complaint  decided 
de  Segur,  de  Vauban  and  myself,  and  some  other  young 
gentlemen  of  our  army,  to  give  a  ball  to  these  discon- 
solate fair  ones.  M.  de  Soteux  took  charge  of  the 
preparations. 

We  met  neither  reluctance  nor  refusals  when  we 
spoke  of  dancing.  Our  company  was  composed  of 
some  twenty  young  ladies,  some  of  them  married,  all 
beautifully  dressed,  and  all  appearing  to  be  pleased. 
We  toasted  very  gaily  at  supper,  and  everything  passed 
off  satisfactorily. 

The  second  day  after  this  little  entertainment  we 
left,  so  as  to  rejoin  the  army  at  Providence.  We 
quitted  Newport  with  great  regret,  but  not  without 
first  having  kissed  the  hand  of  Polly  Lawton. 

I  do  not  mention  the  military  works  which  the  French 
army  constructed  around  Newport,  nor  the  defense  of 
the  harbour,  because  I  have  treated  those  matters  very 
carefully  in  another  place. 

To  go  from  Newport  to  Providence  one  has  to  pass 
two  ferries ;  the  first,  called  Ty  verton,  is  sufficiently 
formidable  and  rather  dangerous  in  heavy  winds.  The 
other,  Bristol,  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  league  broad.' 
Except  the  ferries  the  road  is  very  agreeable.  The 
distance  from  Newport  to  Providence  is  about  thirty 
miles. 


104  PICrUEES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

Providence  is  situated  in  a  forest,  and  the  river  Pau- 
tucket  or  Narankas,  which  passes  through  it,  is  wide 
and  navigable.  It  seems  to  have  about  eighteen  hun- 
dred or  two  thousand  inhabitants,  amongst  whom  are 
some  quite  rich  men,  who  have  extensive  commercial 
transactions. 

The  army  was  encamped  on  the  road  to  Boston  about 
a  league  from  Providence,  in  some  fields  which  it  had 
occupied  the  preceding  year.  The  weather  became 
exceedingly  rough  and  the  troops  suffered  a  great  deal 
from  the  almost  continual  rain  and  snow. 

M.  de  Rochambeau,  much  vexed  with  the  perpetual 
delays  of  the  fleet,  nevertheless  behaved  at  Provi- 
dence like  a  thoroughly  good  French  General ;  that  is 
to  say,  in  order  to  divert  his  army  and  gratify  the  ladies 
of  the  city,  he  gave  some  balls  in  a  handsome  and  large 
public  apartment  intended  for  such  purposes. 

It  was  at  the  first  of  these  balls  that  I  saw  for  the 
first  time  the  Misses  Brown,  sisters  of  the  Governor  of 
the  city.  I  do  not  give  their  portraits  here  because  I 
do  not  want  to  turn  all  the  men  crazy  and  render  all 
the  women  jealous.  I  will  content  myself  merely  by 
saying  that  Clarice  is  awkward  in  comparison  with  the 
elder  of  the  two,  Nancy  Brown  ;  and  that  Betsy,  the 
youngest  sister,  after  a  most  agreeable  conversation, 
one  which  showed  that  she  had  been  well  educated, 
appeared  greatly  surprised  when  she  was  told  that 
amongst  her  many  advantages  not  the  least  of  them 
was  that  of  having  great  black  eyes  with  eye  lashes  so 
long  as  to  half  hide  them,  a  thing  both  rare  and  lovely. 
She  naively  acknowledged  that  she  had  never  imagined 
that  this  was  a  beauty,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  it 
was  for  her  a  discovery. 


COUNT   MATHIEU    DUMAS.  105 

1782.     Count  Mathieu  Dumas. 

Dumas  (1753-1837),  was  another  of  Rochambeau's 
aids,  and  one  who  seems  to  have  borne  a  moderately 
conspicuous  part  in  the  siege  of  Yorktown.  Dumas 
held  the  position  of  chief-of-staff  after  Rochambeau's 
departure,  and,  later,  travelled  quite  extensively  through 
this  country  and  South  America. 

He  became  an  6migr6  at  the  time  of  the  French 
Revolution,  served  under  Napoleon,  and  helped  to 
bring  about  the  Revolution  of  1830.  The  quotation 
given  is  taken  from  the  English  translation  of  his  Me- 
moirs of  his  Oivn  Time,  I.  71. 


The  little  State  of  Rhode  Island,  animated  by  the 
example  of  the  Bostonians,  and  encouraged  by  their 
success,  displayed  much  energy  from  the  beginning. 
The  enemy  took  possession  of  the  capital,  ravaged  the 
coasts,  intercepted  its  maritime  communications,  and 
ruined  its  commerce.  Several  weak  citizens,  attracted 
by  the  advantages  of  prohibited  commerce,  abandoned 
the  cause.  The  Quakers,  indifferent  in  appearance,  but 
English  in  their  hearts,  inclined  to  the  king's  party. 
The  state,  however,  was  neither  subdued  by  the  arms 
of  the  enemy  nor  shaken  by  these  intestine  quarrels  : 
in  the  end  the  Whigs  persecuted  and  expelled,  or  re- 
duced to  silence  the  Tories  who  were  among  them.  In 
consequence  of  the  small  extent  of  this  state,  all  the  in- 
habitants are  acquainted  with  each  other.  The  dense 
population,  the  love  of  agriculture,  the  active  naviga- 
tion, the  continual  jobbing,  have  excited  among  them 
the  spirit  of  association,  and  we  observe  among  them, 


106  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

more  than  in  any  other  state,  a  propensity  to  political 
controversy.  In  fine,  the  new  republicans  have  nowhere 
been  more  haughty,  more  intolerant,  more  ardent  in  the 
defence  of  the  national  cause ;  and  though  they  have 
been  reduced  by  great  losses  to  sacrifice  every  thing, 
they  are  not  less  jealous  in  supporting  the  authority  of 
Congress,  than  in  vigourously  defending  the  privileges 
of  their  own  assemblies ;  thus  but  a  short  time  ago, 
they  formally  refused  to  pay  a  duty  of  five  per  cent,  on 
imported  goods,  to  which  the  other  states  had  already 
submitted. 


1773.     Samuel  Davis. 

Samuel  Davis  (1765-1829),  the  author  of  the  Jour- 
nal w^hence  the  following  extract  is  taken,  seems  to 
have  been  blessed  with  a  peaceful  and  uneventful  life. 
He  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  and  died 
unmarried.  His  epitaph  is  pronounced  a  just  epitome 
of  his  life  and  character.  It  is  as  follows  : 

"From  life  on  earth  our  pensive  friend  retires, 

His  dust  commingling  with  his  pilgrim  sires. 

In  thoughtful  walk  their  every  path  he  traced, 

Their  toils,  their  tombs,  their  faithful  page  embraced  : 

Peaceful  and  pure  and  innocent  as  they, 

Like  them  to  rise  to  everlasting  day." 

The  quotation  given  below  is  taken  from  the  Pro- 
ceedings of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  1869 
70,  pp.  28,  29. 


SAMUEL   DAVIS.  107 

SCITUATE,  R.  I. 

Manchester's ;  thirteen  miles  from  Voluntown. 
Enter  this  State  at  Coventry,  near  a  log  bridge,  three 
miles  from  Voluntown.  Also  pass  through  a  part  of 
Foster,  a  new  township.  The  militia  of  Scituate  were 
paraded  on  the  border  of  a  grove,  into  which  they  fired 
by  platoons.  The  reverberation  of  the  sound  was  like 
cannon,  which  I  supposed  it  to  be.  All  the  matrons 
and  children  of  the  country  were  assembled  in  their 
best  attire.  This  part  of  the  State  is  thinly  in- 
habited, and  the  buildings  are  ordinary.  A  Baptist 
meeting-house  in  Coventry,  and  another  in  this  place, 
are  without  glass  or  doors.  There  is  something  sav- 
age and  wild  in  the  appearance  of  everything  in  these 
back  towns.  The  road  from  Hartford  to  Providence 
is  in  a  direction  nearly  east  and  west.  From  Boltou, 
fifty  miles  hence,  it  is  a  continuous  tract  of  ridges  of 
very  high  ground.  These  ridges  pervade  the  country, 
while  the  rivers  and  streams,  in  various  directions,  find 
a  passage  to  the  Sound,  or  -Narragansett  Bay.  Dine 
at  Scituate.  A  dispute  or  argument  occured  here  be- 
tween a  Connecticut  man  and  a  Rhode  Islander,  on  the 
moral  and  religious  character  of  their  respective  States. 
The  latter  observed,  that  "  there  may  be  more  religion 
in  Connecticut,  but  there  was  more  honest  men  in 
Rhode  Island  "  ! 

PROVIDENCE. 

Dexter's ;  twelve  miles  from  Scituate.  Arrived 
here  this  afternoon.  The  last  stage  the  road  bounds 
Johnson  on  the  north,  and  Cranston  on  the  south,  ex- 
cept the  last  four  miles,  being  in  Johnson.  Pawtuxet 
River  rises  in  Scituate,  Coventry,  and  Foster,  and  falls 
into  Narragansett  Bay  below  Providence.  The  ele- 
gant spire  of  the  Baptist  meeting  house,  in  Providence, 


108  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

is  conspicuous  many  miles.  The  soil  is  light  and 
sandy  in  the  western  suburbs  of  Providence.  Lodge 
at  this  place. 

September  25. — Visit  the  stone-ware  manufactory. 
The  apparatus  for  moulding  it  is  simple.  Two  wooden 
wheels,  placed  horizontally,  and  a  few  wooden  tools,  in 
the  manner  of  a  pottery,  are  all.  The  ware  was  an- 
nealing in  a  kiln,  in  which  Lisbon  salt  was  occasion- 
ally thrown.  Two  ranges  of  holes  are  on  the  top  ;  I 
suppose  for  this  purpose.  The  clay  is  procured  from 
New  Jersey.  Leave  this  place  in  the  forenoon,  by  the 
lower  ferry  on  Seaconk  River,  to  Rehoboth,  in  Massa- 
chusetts. The  river  is  here  seventy  rods  wide.  The 
channel  is  crooked,  but  very  deep  here,  perhaps  twenty- 
five  feet.  Pawtucket  Falls  are  three  or  four  miles 
above.  The  general  name  of  the  river  is  Narraganset. 
It  rises  in  Worcester  County,  Massachusetts.  Ships  of 
great  burden,  800  tons,  and  more,  are  built  at  Provi- 
dence, thirty  miles  from  the  ocean. 


1787.    J.  Hector  St.  John  de  Crevecoeur. 

A  native  of  Normandy,  Hector  St.  John  (1731- 
1809  ?)  came  to  America  in  1754,  and  settled  on  a 
farm  in  New  York,  where  he  lived  until  the  turmoil 
of  the  Revolution  broke  up  his  home  and  drove  him 
back  to  Europe.  He  introduced  the  cultivation  of  the 
potato  into  Normandy.  His  publications  upon  America 
were  so  enthusiastically  laudatory  that  many  French 
families  were  induced  to  settle  on  the  Ohio,  where  the 
greater  part  of  them  perished.  The  quotation  given 


HECTOR    ST.    JOHN    DE    CREVECOEUR.  109 

is  from  the  third  and  complete  edition  of  his  Lettres 
d'un  Caltivateur  Americain,  Paris,  1787,  II.  54-59. 

Cette  Province  \la  Colonie  de  V  Isle  de  Rhodes  &  des 
Plantations  de  Providence,  en  y  comprenant  le  district 
de  Narragansets] ,  quoique  la  plus  petite  de  toutes, 
jouit  de  grands  avantages. — Le  havre  de  New-Port  est 
un  des  meilleursde  FAme'rique  il  tons  e"gards  :  les  terres 
de  cette  Colonie  produisent  de  F  her  be  excellente  et 
des  bestiaux  de  la  plus  grande  taille,  du  lin,  du  mai's, 
du  seigle,  des  moutons.  Narragansets  est  le  rneil- 
leur  Canton  de  toute  PAm6rique  pour  les  chevaux 
d'allure.  Le  commodite  que  procure  a  cette  Colonie  la 
grande  Baie  qui  en  forme  le  centre,  a  donn6  a  ses  Hab- 
itans  un  gout  &  une  aptitude  singuliere  pour  les  af- 
faires maritimes ;  de  tous  les  terns  ils  ont  e"te  les  plus 
habiles  Navigateurs  :  ii'ayant  que  peu  d'objects  d'ex- 
portation,  ils  arment  leurs  vaisseaux  pour  le  compte  des 
etrangers  ;  ils  entendent  parfaitement  toutes  les  res- 
sources  du  cabotage  &  celles  du  commerce  de  specula- 
tion. 

Le  Gouvernement  est  une  democratic  parfaite ;  le 
peuple  chosit  annuellement  son  Gouverneur  &  ses  Mag- 
istrats. — Cette  lie  a  quatorze  milles  de  long  sur  quatre 
de  large  ;  les  chemins  dont  elle  est  entre-coupee,  sout 
plant^s  des  deux  cote's  d'acacias  &  de  platanes. — La 
Nature  a  plac6  sur  la  cime  de  cette  lie  charmante,  des 
fontaines  cPou  decoulent  les  ruisseaux  les  plus  utiles  ; 
partout  on  y  voit  les  champs  couverts  de  moissons,  & 
des  prairies  couvertes  de  Fherbage  le  plus  abondant ; 
les  maisons  y  sont  singulierement  propres  &  commodes. 
Providence  leur  fournit  de  la  chaux  excellente,  & 
leur  Isle  une  espece  de  sable  dont  ils  enduisent  les  de- 
hors  de  leurs  maisons :  cette  incrustation,  a  laquelle 
ils  donnent  Fapparence  de  la  pierre,  preserve  les  bois 
qui  en  sont  revetus  de  toutes  les  attaques  des  vents,  des 


110  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

pluies  &  des  gelee"s ;  rien  ne  m'a  paru  plus  le"ger,  plus 
propre,  plus  elegant  &  plus  durable. — Dans  aucune 
autre  Colonie,  on  ne  voit  point  de  boeufs  d'une  si  pro- 
digieuse  grandeur,  ni  de  troupeaux  demoutons  si  nom- 
breux. 

C'est  le  pays  le  plus  sain  que  je  connoisse  ;  aussi  New- 
Port  est-il  devenu  le  rendez-vous  de  tons  les  infirmes 
Anglois,  Hollandois  &  Franyois  des  Isles  occidentales. 
—  Ne  pourroit-on  pas  appeler  cette  charmante  Isle  le 
Montpellier  de  I'Amerique  f  Les  chaleurs  de  P6te"  y  sont 
r6gulierement  .temp6r6es  par  les  brises  de  mer,  &  les 
rigueurs  de  Phiver,  considerablement  diminue'es  par  le 
voisinage  de  POcean.  La  t6te  de  cette  Isle,  du  cote"  de 
la  mer,  offre  un  singulier  melange  de  rochers  pittor- 
esques  &  de  petits  champs  fer tiles,  de  sterilite"  & 
d'abondance,  de  sables  &  de  riches  sols,  de  baies  douces 
&  commodes,  de  promontoires  escarped.  C'est  ici  la 
partie  de  PIsle  qui  inspira  a  PEveque  Berkley  le  desir 
d'y  batir  un  College  :  on  y  peut,  pour  ainsi  dire,  cultiver 
la  terre  avec  une  main  &  p£cher  avec  Pautre ;  jamais 
rivages  n'ont  6te  plus  abondans  en  poissons  de  toutes 
-especes,  sur-tout  en  Tewtags  (blacktish).  L'Isle  de 
Kancmicut  unit  a  Pexcellence  de  son  paturage,  la  fer- 
tilite  du  sol  labourable,  la  facility  des  peches,  la  beaut4 
de  la  situation,  &  la  plus  grande  salubrite"  de  Pair.  Je 
desirerois  pouvois  finir  mes  jours  sur  Pune  ou  Pautre  de 
•ces  deux  Isles.  Toute  cette  Baie  en  est  parseme"e,  & 
aucune  n'est  sterile. —  Ici  on  voit  le  plus  beau  sang 
de  PAme'rique :  la  beaute*  des  filles,  Phospitalite  des 
habitans,  la  douceur  de  leur  societe,  la  simplicite  de 
leur  amusemens,  y  ont  toujours  prolonge  mon  sejour,  & 
m?y  ont  fait  passer  les  momens  les  plus  heureux. 

L'esprit  democratique  du  Gouvernement,  anisi  que 
€elui  du  commerce,  auquel  ils  sont  si  adonn6s,  a  beaucoup 
influ^  sur  leurs  moeurs. — Ils  sont  actifs  &  remuans, 
toujours  occupes  de  quelques  speculations  mari times ; 


HECTOR   ST.    JOHN    DE    CREVECOEUR.  Ill 

ils  sont  fins  &  rus£s :  leurs  Loix,  quoique  fondles  sur 
requite",  ne  procurent  pas  toujours  &  un  etranger  les 
prompts  secours  qu'elles  promettent :  c^est  peut-etre  un 
vice  dans  leurs  constitutions  que  le  peuple  ait  le  droit 
de  nommer  ses  Juges. — Comme  leurs  principales  rich- 
esses  viennent  du  commerce,  &  d'une  foule  de  spe"cu- 
lations  d'importation  &  d'exportation,  ils  ont  besoin, 
plus  encore  que  les  autres  Colonies,  de  la  liberte"  la  plus 
ample  :  c'est  pourquoi  ils  se  sont  toujours  opposes  aux 
reglements  commerciels  de  FAngleterre,  &  avec  la  plus 
grande  animosite. — Les  plus  foibles  entraves  renver- 
seroient  leurs  fortunes  &  leur  existence,  qui  n'est  fon- 
dee  que  sur  la  liberte  du  commerce  la  plus  illimitee. 

Toutes  les  Sectes  sont  venues  s'etabli  ici  :  les  Ana- 
baptistes,  les  Quakers,  les  Anglicans,  les  Calvinistes  & 
les  Juifs,  dont  il  y  en  a  un  tres-grand  nornbre ;  ces 
derniers  ont  fait  batir  une  magnifique  Synagogue,  ou 
ils  y  adorent  Pfitre  Supreme  dans  Fantique  langage 
d' Abraham,  &  avec  les  anciens  Kits  de  Moi'se. 

Tous  les  ans  on  arme  ici  un  tres-grand  nombre  de 
vaisseaux  pour  la  peche  de  la  baleine ;  ils  sont  aussi 
entreprenans,  aussi  hardis,  aussi  habiles  que  les  Habi- 
tans  de  Nantucket  dans  ces  expeditions. — On  fabrique 
ii  New-Port  des  chandelles  de  spermacetty,  plus  blanches 
<fe  plus  belles  que  celles  de  cire  ;  elles  ne  donuent  aucune 
odeur  ni  aucune  fum6e. — Dans  les  operations  neces- 
saires,  &  pour  donner  la  consistance  a  la  matiere  dont 
ces  chandelles  sont  faites,  ils  ont  trouve"  Tart  d'extraire 
une  huile  limpide,  appel^e  aussi  huile  de  spermacetty, 
qui  est  tres-utile  pour  les  lampes  des  Studieux. 

La  Ville  de  Providence,  au  fond  de  la  Baie,  est 
fameuse  pour  la  construction  des  vaisseaux  &  la  grande 
quantity  de  chaux  qu'on  y  manufacture ;  ils  en  expor- 
tent  dans  presque  toutes  les  Villes  du  Continent. — 
Cette  Province  cent-lent,  ^l  ce  qu?on  m'a  assure,  59678 
habitans. — L'importance  de  cette  petite  Colonie  con- 


112  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

siste  moins  dans  les  productions  de  son  cru,  que  dans 
Pactivite,  les  conoissances  &  1'esprit  entreprenant  des 
Colons,  &  dans  la  situation  avantageuse  pour  le  com- 


merce. 


1787.    Rev.  Dr.   Manasseh  Cutler. 

Dr.  Cutler  (1742-1823),  a  Yale  graduate  of  the 
the  class  of  1765,  studied  theology,  and  became  pastor 
of  the  church  at  Ipswich  Hamlet,  Massachusetts,  in 
1771.  He  was  distinguished  for  his  scholarship  in 
astronomy,  meteorology,  and  botany,  and  especially  for 
the  part  he  had,  as  agent  of  the  Ohio  Company,  in 
persuading  the  Continental  Congress  to  pass  the  famous 
Ordinance  for  the  Government  of  the  Northwest  Ter- 
ritory. The  quotation  from  his  diary  here  given  is 
taken  from  the  Life,  Journals  and  Correspondence  of 
the  Rev.  Manasseh  Cutler,  by  William  P.  and  Julia  P. 
Cutler,  Cincinnati,  1888,  I.  324. 

We  arrived  at  Newport  before  daylight  set  in.  The 
passage  not  very  agreeable,  as  we  were  obliged  to 
beat  all  the  afternoon,  and  considerable  sea.  I  took 
lodgings  at  Mr.  Benj.  Olney's,  a  very  good  lodging- 
house,  the  genteelest  in  the  place. 

Mon.j  Oct.  15.  The  wind  against  us.  Waited  on 
Miss  Polly  Stiles,  at  Mrs.  Channing's.  Rev.  Mr. 
Channing,  a  young  clergyman,  son  of  Mrs.  Channing, 
and  now  settled  at  New  London,  walked  with  me  over 
the  town  of  Newport.  We  went  up  the  steeple  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  and  had  a  fine  view  of  the  town, 


J.    P.    BRISSOT   DE   WARVILLE.  113 

which  is  laid  out  in  regular  form  ;  the  buildings  old 
and  out  of  repair,  but  very  few  houses  that  make  any 
tolerable  appearance.  One  street  in  front  of  the  town 
is  straight  and  about  a  mile  in  length,  and  makes  a 
tolerable  appearance. 

There  are  two  Congregational  Churches,  one  Episco- 
pal, three  Baptist,  and  one  Jewish  Synagogue,  which 
we  visited.  I  was  much  gratified  with  a  view  of  the 
Synagogue.  The  reading-desk,  the  altar  and  ark  of 
the  Covenant,  the  five  books  of  Moses  in  parchments, 
rolled  and  covered  with  silk,  the  garments  with  the 
fringes  which  all  the  people  wear,  and  the  phylacteries, 
are  curious  and  new.  Judah  was  the  name  of  the  Jew 
that  attended  us.  Drank  tea  at  Mrs.  Channing's,  in 
company  with  Governor  Bo  wen  and  lady,  Mr.  Gibbs, 
a  principal  merchant  of  this  town,  and  several  other 
gentlemen,  and  a  brilliant  circle  of  ladies. 

Tues.j  Oct.  16.  Spent  the  day  in  listing  my  money 
for  Congress.  Governor  Bowen,  Mr.  Channing,  and 
brother  called  on  me  and  spent  part  of  the  evening. 
Mr.  Atkinson  and  I  took  a  walk  to  see  Malbone's 
Gardens.  The  house  was  burnt  a  number  of  years 
ago,  but  the  garden  remains  in  tolerable  order. 


1788.     J.  P.  Brissot  de  Warville. 

Brissot  (1754-1793)  played  a  prominent  part  in  the 
early  French  Revolution  as  leader  of  the  Girondists. 
After  the  defeat  of  his  party,  he  was  thrown  into  prison 
and  guillotined.  His  eloquence  and  literary  ability 
gave  him  great  influence  in  French  politics.  In  1788 
he  visited  America  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  the 


114  PICTUEES    OF    EHODE    ISLAND. 

negroes.  While  here  he  became  interested  in  the  Scioto 
Company,  and  wrote  the  Commerce  of  America  with 
Europe,  to  further  the  enterprise.  The  quotation  given 
here  is  from  his  New  Travels  (ed.  1792),  p.  143,  et  seq. 


On  the  12th  of  October,  we  set  out  from  Boston  at 
half  past  seven  in  the  morning,  and  arrived  by  six  in 
the  evening  at  Providence.  It  is  forty-nine  miles  ;  the 
road  good,  the  soil  stoney,  gravelly  and  sandy,  and,  as 
usual  for  such  a  soily  covered  with  pines.  The  country 
bordering  the  road,  appears  neither  fertile  nor  well 
peopled  :  you  may  see  houses  in  decay,  and  children 
covered  with  rags.  They  had,  however,  good  health, 
and  good  complexions.  The  silence  which  reigns  in 
the  other  American  towns  on  Sunday,  reigns  at  Provi- 
dence even  on  Monday.  Everything  here  announces 
the  decline  of  business.  Few  vessels  are  to  be  seen  in 
the.  port.  They  were  building,  however,  two  distilleries  ; 
as  if  the  manufactories  of  this  poison  were  not  already 
sufficiently  numerous  in  the  United  States.  Whether 
it  be  from  prejudice  or  reality,  I  seemed  to  perceive 
everywhere  the  silence  of  death,  the  effect  of  paper 
money.  I  seemed  to  see,  in  ^every  face,  the  air  of  a 
Jew,  the  result  of  a  traffic  founded  on  fraud  and  finesse. 
I  seemed  to  see,  likewise,  in  every  countenance,  the 
effects  of  the  contempt  which  the  other  States  bear  to 
this,  and  the  consciousness  of  meriting  that  contempt. 
The  paper-money  at  this  time  was  at  a  discount  of  ten 
to  one. 

I  went  from  Providence  to  Newport  in  a  packet- 
boat.  This  journey  might  be  made  by  land  ;  but  I 
preferred  the  water.  We  arrived  in  seven  hours  and 
a  half;  and  during  two  hours  we  had  contrary  wind. 
This  distance  is  thirty  miles.  We  never  lost  sight  of 
land ;  but  it  offers  nothing  picturesque  or  curious. 


J.    P.    BRISSOT    DE    WARVILLE.  115 

A  few  houses,  some  trees,  and  a  sandy  soil,  are  all  that 
appears  to  the  eye.  The  port  of  Newport  is  considered 
as  one  of  the  best  in  the  United  States.  The  bottom 
is  good,  the  harbour  capable  of  receiving  the  largest 
ships,  and  seems  destined  by  nature  to  be  of  great  con- 
sequence. This  place  was  one  of  the  principal  scenes 
of  the  last  war.  The  successive  arrival  of  the  Amer- 
ican, English,  and  French  armies,  left  here  a  consider- 
able quantity  of  money.* 

Since  the  peace,  everything  is  changed,  f  The  reign 
of  solitude  is  only  interrupted  by  groups  of  idle  men, 
standing  with  folded  arms  at  the  corners  of  the  streets  ; 
houses  falling  to  ruin  ;  miserable  shops,  which  present 
nothing  but  a  few  coarse  stuffs,  or  baskets  of  apples,  and 
other  articles  of  little  value  ;  grass  growing  in  the 
public  square,  in  front  of  the  court  of  justice ;  rags 
stuifed  in  the  windows,  or  hung  upon  hideous  women 
and  lean  unquiet  children.  .  .  . 

Read  again,  my  friend,  the  charming  description 
given  of  this  town  and  this  State,  by  M.  de  Crevecoeur. 
It  is  not  exaggerated.  Every  American  whom  I  have 
questioned  on  this  subject,  has  described  to  me  its  an- 
cient splendor,  and  its  natural  advantages,  whether  for 
commerce,  agriculture,  or  the  enjoyments  of  life. 

The  State  of  Rhode-Island  will  never  again  see  those 
happy  days,  till  they  take  from  circulation  their  paper- 
money,  arid  reform  their  government.  The  magis- 
trates should  be  less  dependent  on  the  people  than  they 
are  at  present,  and  the  members  of  the  legislature 
should  not  be  so  often  elected.  It  is  inconceivable 
that  so  many  honest  people  should  groan  under  the 
present  anarchy ;  that  so  many  Quakers,  who  com- 

*  The  English  destroyed  all  the  fine  trees  of  ornament  and  fruit : 
they  took  a  pleasure  in  devastation. 

f  This  town  owed  a  part  of  its  prosperity  to  the  slave  trade,  which 
is  at  present  suppressed. 


116  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

pose  the  basis  of  the  population  of  the  State,  should 
not  combine  together  to  introduce  this  reform.* 

If  this  reform  is  not  speedily  executed,  I  doubt  not 
but  the  State  will  be  unpeopled.  A  great  part  of  the 
emigration  for  the  settlement  at  Muskingum  on  the 
Ohio,  is  from  this  State.  General  Yarnum  is  at  their 
head.  A  number  of  families  are  preparing  to  join 
them.  Nearly  all  the  honest  people  of  Newport  would 
quit  the  place,  if  they  could  sell  their  effects.  I  doubt 
not,  likewise,  but  the  example  of  Rhode-Island  will  be 
a  proof,  in  the  eyes  of  many  people,  that  republican 
government  is  disastrous.  .  .  .  But  in  the  midst 
of  these  disorders,  you  hear  nothing  of  robberies,  of 
murders,  or  of  mendicity ;  for  the  American  poor  does 
not  degrade  himself  so  far  as  to  abjure  all  ideas  of 
equity,  and  all  shame.  .  .  .  The  Rhode-Islander 
does  not  beg,  and  he  does  not  steal — the  ancient 
American  blood  still  runs  in  his  veins. 


1792.      Rev.  Dr.  Jedidiah  Morse. 

Dr.  Morse  (1761—1826)  was  a  prominent  clergyman 
of  New  England,  minister  at  Charlestown,  Massachu- 
setts, from  1787  to  1820.  He  was  among  the  fore- 
most of  the  founders  of  the  Andover  Theological  Semi- 
nary, and  helped  to  organize  the  Park  Street  Church  in 
Boston.  He  was  the  first  in  this  country  to  publish  a 
text-book  of  geography,  and  his  various  works  on  the 
subject,  some  of  which  were  published  also  in  England, 

*  The  author  is  happy  to  find,  that  before  the  publication  of  this 
letter,  this  State  has  acceded  to  the  new  federal  government.  This 
fact  proves,  that  good  principles  will  predominate  at  last,  and  par- 
ticular abuses  will  disappear. 


REV.    DR.    JEDLDIAH    MORSE.  117 

Scotland  and  Ireland,  and  translated  into  French  and 
German,  gained  for  him  the  title  of  "  The  Father  of 
American  Geography."  The  quotation  given  is  taken 
from  the  American  Geography,  ed.  of  1792,  pp.  204- 
209. 


Literature.  The  literature  of  this  state  is  confined 
principally  to  the  towns  of  Newport  and  Providence. 
There  are  men  of  learning  and  abilities  scattered 
through  other  towns,  but  they  are  rare.  The  bulk  of 
the  inhabitants  in  other  parts  of  the  state,  are  involved 
in  greater  ignorance  perhaps  than  in  any  other  part  of 
New-England. 

At  Providence,  is  Rhode-Island  college.  .  .  .  This 
institution  was  founded  at  Warren,  in  the  county  of 
Bristol,  and  the  first  commencement  was  held  there  in 
1769.  ...  In  the  year  1770,  the  college  was  removed 
to  Providence,  where  a  large,  elegant  building  was 
erected  for  its  accommodation,  by  the  generous  dona- 
tions of  individuals,  mostly  from  the  town  of  Provi- 
dence. It  is  situated  on  a  hill  to  the  east  of  the  town  ; 
and  while  its  elevated  situation  renders  it  delightful, 
by  commanding  an  extensive,  variegated  prospect,  it 
furnishes  it  with  a  pure,  salubrious  air.  The  edifice  is 
of  brick,  four  stories  high,  150  feet  long,  and  46  wide, 
with  a  projection  of  ten  feet  on  each  side.  It  has  an 
entry  lengthways,  with  rooms  on  each  side.  There  are 
forty-eight  rooms  for  the  accommodation  of  students, 
and  eight  larger  ones  for  public  uses.  The  roof  is  cov- 
ered with  slate. 

[The  college]  is  now  very  flourishing,  containing 
upwards  of  sixty  students.  This  institution  is  under 


118  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

the  instruction  of  a  president,  a  professor  of  natural 
and  experimental  philosophy,  a  professor  of  mathe- 
matics and  astronomy,  a  professor  of  natural  history, 
and  three  tutors.  The  several  classes  are  instructed  in 
the  learned  languages,  and  the  various  arts  and  sciences. 
The  studies  of  the  freshman  year,  are  the  Latin  and 
Greek  languages,  English  grammar  and  rhetoric.  Of 
the  sophomore,  Guthrie's  geography,  Ward's  arithmetic, 
Hammond's  algebra,  Sheridan's  rhetorical  grammar, 
and  lectures  on  elocution,  Watt's  logick,  and  Cicero  de 
Oratore.  Of  the  junior,  Horace,  Kaim's  elements  of 
criticism,  Euclid's  elements,  Atkinson's  epitome,  Love's 
surveying,  Martin's  grammar,  Philosophia  Britannica, 
and  Ferguson's  astronomy.  Of  the  senior,  Lucian's 
dialogues,  Locke's  essay  on  the  human  understanding, 
Hutchinson's  moral  philosophy,  Bolingbroke  on  history, 
and  a  review  of  all  the  studies  of  the  several  years. 
Every  year  are  frequent  exercises  in  speaking,  and  the 
various  kinds  of  composition.  There  are  two  examina- 
tions, several  public  exhibitions  for  speaking,  and  three 
vacations  annually.  The  institution  has  a  library  of 
between  two  and  three  thousand  volumes,  containing  a 
valuable  collection  of  ancient  and  modern  authors. 
Also  a  small,  but  very  valuable  philosophical  appa- 
ratus. Nearly  all  the  funds  of  the  college  are  at  in- 
terest in  the  treasury  of  the  state,  and  amount  to  almost 
two  thousand  pounds. 

Newport  contains  about  1000  houses,  built  chiefly  of 
wood,  and  5530  inhabitants.  It  has  nine  houses  for 
public  worship  ;  three  for  the  baptists,  two  for  congre- 
gationalists,  one  for  episcopalians,  one  for  Quakers,  one 
for  Moravians,  and  a  synagogue  for  the  Jews.  The 
other  public  buildings  are  a  state-house,  and  an  edifice 
for  the  public  library.  The  situation,  form,  and  archi- 
tecture of  the  state-house,  give  it  the  preference  to  most 
public  buildings  in  America.  It  stands  sufficiently  ele- 


REV.    DR.    JEDIDIAH    MORSE.  119 

vated,  and  a  long  wharf  and  paved  parade  lead  up  to  it 
from  the  harbour. 

The  building  for  the  library  consists  of  one  large 
room,  thirty-six  feet  long,  twenty-six  feet  broad,  and 
nineteen  feet  high,  where  the  books  are  kept,  with  two 
small  offices  adjoining.  The  principal  or  west  front  is 
a  pediment  and  portico  of  four  columns,  of  the  Doric 
order  ;  the  whole  entablature  of  which,  runs  quite  round 
the  building. 

The  two  offices  are  placed  as  wings,  one  on  each  side 
the  portico,  and  connected  with  the  body  of  the  build- 
ing so  as  to  form  two  half-pediments  proceeding  from 
the  lower  part  of  the  entablature.  The  east-front  con- 
sists of  a  plain  Doric  pediment,  supported  by  a  rustic 
arcade  of  three  arches,  in  the  recesses  of  which,  are 
placed  three  Venetian  windows,  after  the  Dorick  order. 

The  outside  of  the  whole  building  is  rustick  work, 
and  stands  on  a  base  five  feet  from  the  ground,  and  the 
entrance  is  by  a  flight  of  steps  the  whole  width  of  the 
portico. 

In  the  year  1747,  Abraham  Redwood,  Esq ;  gave 
1294  volumes,  valued  at  £500  sterling,  as  the  founda- 
tion of  a  library  in  Newport.  Several  other  valuable 
donations  were  afterwards  given.  These  books  were 
deposited  in  the  above-described  edifice,  which  was 
erected  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  them. 

A  number  of  gentlemen  were  incorporated  into  a 
body  politic  by  the  name  of  the  "  Company  of  the  Red- 
wood Library/  with  power  to  choose  annually  eight 
directors,  a  treasurer,  secretary  and  librarian.  This 
elegant  building  is  now  much  out  of  repair,  and  one- 
third  of  the  books  in  the  library  were  either  carried  off, 
or  destroyed  by  the  British  during  the  war. 


120  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

1793.      Rev.  Dr.  James  Freeman. 

Dr.  Freeman  (1759-1835)  was  a  famous  Unitarian 
clergyman.  He  went  to  Boston  in  1782,  and  became 
a  lay-reader  in  King's  Chapel.  He  became  a  Uni- 
tarian, and,  in  1785,  induced  the  church  to  alter  its 
liturgy  so  as  to  conform  to  the  views  of  the  Unitarian 
theology.  As  a  consequence  of  his  heresy,  the  bish- 
ops refused  to  ordain  him,  whereupon,  in  1787,  the 
wardens  and  congregation  ordained  him  in  "  a  solemn 
and  appropriate  form,"  as  "  Rector,  Minister,  Priest, 
Pastor,  teaching  Elder,  and  public  Teacher"  of  the 
Society.  Thus  the  first  Episcopalian  church  in  New 
England  became  the  first  Unitarian  church  in  this 
country,  and  was  for  many  years  the  only  Unita- 
rian society  of  any  importance.  The  quotation  here 
given  is  taken  from  a  criticism  of  Dr.  Morse's  Geo- 
graphy (see  the  preceding  extract)  entitled  Remarks  on 
the  American  Universal  Geography,  p.  40.  Boston, 
1793.* — Under  Rhode  Island  the  author  takes  excep- 
tion to  the  commonly  received  opinions  respecting  the 
religious  zeal  and  the  average  intelligence  of  the  people. 

Mr.  M.  does  not  appear  to  be  pleased  with  the  state 
of  religion  of  Rhode  Island.  ...  I  assert  .  .  . 
that  there  are  a  few  only  of  the  people  of  this  state, 

*The  copy  preserved  in  the  John  Carter  Brown  Library,  pre- 
sumably Dr.  Morse's  copy,  contains  a  slip  pasted  on  the  fly-leaf  bear- 
ing the  words,  in  Dr.  Morse' s  handwriting,  ' '  Dependence  is  not  to  be 
placed  on  all  the  corrections  in  this  pamphlet — a  number  of  them, 
however,  are  worthy  of  notice." — J.  MORSE. 


GOVERNOR    JOHN    DRAYTON.  121 

who  do  not  class  themselves  with  some  religious  sect ; 
and  that  in  few  of  the  towns,  publick  worship  is  neg- 
lected by  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants.  In  this 
neglect  Rhode  Island  is  not  peculiar;  for  there  are 
some  towns  in  Massachusetts  (to  say  nothing  of  other 
states)  in  which  a  majority  of  the  people  do  not  attend 
publick  worship.  .  .  .  The  fact  is  that  the  relig- 
ious societies  are  numerous,  in  proportion  to  the  popu- 
lation ;  there  being  above  eighty  of  various  denomina- 
tions. Of  these,  not  more  than  eighteen  are  destitute 
of  ministers.  There  are,  in  proportion,  as  many 
vacant  churches  in  Massachusetts. 

The  literature  of  the  state  is  not  confined  to  Newport 
and  Providence ;  and  though  there  may  not  be  as 
many  men  of  learning,  as  in  the  two  adjoining  states, 
yet  the  inhabitants  are  not  involved  in  greater  igno- 
rance, than  the  inhabitants  of  many  other  parts  of  New 
England. 


1794.     Governor  John  Drayton. 

John  Drayton  (1766-1822)  was  a  lawyer  of  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina.  He  was  elected  lieutenant-gov- 
ernor of  that  state  in  1798,  and  in  1800  succeeded 
Governor  Rutledge,  who  died  in  office.  He  also  held 
the  same  position  at  two  subsequent  periods  of  his 
.career.  The  quotation  given  is  taken  from  his  Letters 
written  during  a  Tour  through  the  Northern  and  Eastern 
j  pp.  40  et  seq. 


After  a  sail  of  twenty-six  hours,  we  arrived  at  the 
town  of  Newport  :  situated  on  an  island  in  Narragan- 


122  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

sett  Bay ;  and  having  before  it  a  quiet  and  deep  har- 
bour, quite  protected  from  the  winds  by  a  small  island 
which  is  before  the  town  ;  upon  which  there  has  been 
a  large  fort,  for  its  protection.  At  present,  nothing 
gives  it  a  military  appearance,  but  the  flag ;  the  fort, 
having  been  entirely  dismantled. 

The  town,  is  said  to  contain  about  seven  thousand 
inhabitants.  And  I  am  afraid,  is  rather  in  decline, 
than  in  prosperity.  The  wrath  of  kings,  fell  upon  it 
during  the  American  war ;  and  it  felt  so  severely  the 
scourge  of  their  armies  and  fleets ;  that  it  will  be  long 
ere  it  shall  recover  Its  former  prosperity.  Besides,  it 
has  a  more  serious  difficulty  to  contend  with  in  being 
rivalled  of  its  commerce  by  the  town  of  Providence  ; 
situated  about  ten  leagues  farther  up  the  country. 

The  inhabitants  have  lately  fitted  up  a  room  in  the 
form  of  a  theatre,  capable  of  containing  about  two  hun- 
dred persons  ;  much  in  the  style  of  what  Harmony-hall 
was  with  us.  They  have  a  rope-dancer  attached  to  the 
company,  by  the  name  of  Placide.  I  saw  him  and  his 
wife,  who  is  a  handsome  woman,  about  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  dance  an  allemande  upon  the  stage  ;  in 
which,  their  bodies  were  thrown  into  a  variety  of 
positions. 

At  this  place,  is  a  library  house  ;  I  wish  I  could  say 
a  library.  But  that  alas  !  has  been  taken  away,  by  the 
pilfering  hand  of  the  British.  Who  in  this,  as  well  as 
in  other  instances,  carried  on  war  not  only  against  men, 
but  against  learning. 

I  took  a  ride  through  the  extent  of  the  island,  which 
is  twelve  miles  long.  It  is  parcelled  out  every  way 
into  small  farms,  which  are  divided,  and  laid  out  in  all 
directions,  by  stone  walls.  There  is  not  much  variety 
in  the  scene.  The  eye,  is  thrown  around  for  trees ; 
but  in  vain.  The  zephyrs,  have  no  foliage  here,  upon 
which  they  may  dance.  For  the  troops  of  Britain,. 


GOVERNOR  JOHN  DRAYTON.          123 

like  the  locusts  of  Afric,  have  withered  each  tree  upon 
this  once  happy  island  :  and  when  they  departed,  left 
the  inhabitants  no  shrubs,  under  whose  shade,  they 
might  rest  themselves  in  peace.  But  their  industry 
begins  to  raise  up  some  trees,  to  defend  them  from  the 
summer  sun  :  though  at  great  expence,  as  they  have 
them  all  to  buy. 

After  staying  at  Newport  two  days,  I  took  my  pas- 
sage on  board  of  a  packet  for  Providence  :  where,  I 
arrived  in  three  hours  and  a  half.  And  never  in  a 
worse  time  for  observations  as  a  traveller ;  it  being  in- 
sufferably hot ;  and  the  situation  of  the  town  rather 
encreasing  it,  than  otherwise.  It  is  situated  on  each 
shore  of  a  narrow  river,  along  the  side  of  the  hills 
down  to  the  waters  edge.  Where,  the  summer  breezes 
may  blow  over  it  in  vain  :  serving  only  to  tantalize  the 
citizens,  with  what  they  cannot  enjoy.  It  is  however  a 
flourishing  town,  and  is  the  present  seat  of  govern- 
ment ;  having  a  baptist  church  with  one  of  the  tallest 
and  handsomest  steeples  in  America.  It  is  said  to  be 
two  hundred  and  twenty  feet  high.  The  church  is 
built  of  wood,  and  is  elegantly  finished  in  the  inside  : 
being  illuminated  at  night  by  a  superb  glass  chandelier. 
The  church  has  been  lately  repaired  and  painted  at  the 

expence  of  a  Miss  B n ;  whose  fortune  furnished 

her  with  the  means,  while  her  inclination  prompted  her 
here  to  return  a  portion  of  those  riches,  which  heaven 
had  given  her.  And  sweet  must  her  feelings  be,  when 
she  reflects  on  this  good  appropriation  of  what  is  of  no 
value,  but  as  it  assists  the  pleasures  of  an  honest  and 
well-spent  life. 

Each  part  of  the  town,  is  connected  by  a  bridge 
thrown  across  the  river,  the  whole  width  of  the  street » 
There  are  foot  ways  on  each  side  of  it,  in  which  three 
persons  may  walk  abreast :  and  the  carriage  way  is 
wide  enough  for  as  many  carriages  to  pass  at  one  time. 
At  night  it  is  illuminated  by  three  lamps  on  each  side. 


124  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

Upon  an  eminence  within  the  town,  and  overlook- 
ing it,  is  an  handsome  and  commodious  brick  college  ; 
where  at  present  numbers  of  youth  are  educated.  I 
had  not  time  to  go  into  it,  or  opportunities  of  making 
any  particular  enquiries  respecting  it. 

The  town  is  said  to  contain  six  thousand  inhabitants  : 
four  thousand  less  than  Charleston.  And  yet  it  sends 
three  or  four  ships  to  India  in  each  year  !  would  to 
heaven,  that  we  were  as  much  advanced  in  commerce. 
In  comparison  with  the  trading  towns  of  the  northern 
and  eastern  states,  pardon  the  expression  when  I  say, 
those  of  the  southern  are  but  in  leading  strings. 


!795-      "Citoyen  adoptif." 

This  quotation  is  taken  from  an  anonymous  work  en- 
titled Response  aux  Principales  Questions  qui  peuvent 
ttrefaitessur  les  Etats-Unis  de  I'Amtrique,  Par  un  cito- 
yen  adoptif  de  la  Pennsylvanie.  Lausanne,  1795. 
Vol.  I.,  p.  292. 

Rhodeisland. 

II  est  reconnu,  par  le  denombrement  de  1791,  qu'il 


En  homines  libres,  au  dessus  de  seize  ans —  16019 

En  garyons,  au  dessous  de  seize  ans —  15799 

En  femmes  &  filles  libres,  de  tout  age —  32652 

En  autres  personnes  libres  3407 

En  esclaves  948 


Total  68825 


REV.    JOHN    PIERCE.  125 

Ce  nombre  donne  vingt-cinq  habitans  par  mille 
quarre*,  &  chaque  habitant  a  vingt-cinq  acres  and 
demi.  .  .  . 

L'fitat  comprend  plusieurs  iles  dans  son  e"tendue, 
dont  la  principale  est  Rhodeisland.  Le  climat  de  cette 
isle  est  serein  et  agre"able  ;  Les  femmes  y  sont  si  belles, 
que  les  voyageurs  s'accordent  &  Pappeler  FEden  de 
PAme>ique.  Ce  petit  Archipel  procure  a  FEtat  Favan- 
tage  de  six  ports,  qui  sont :  Newport,  Providence, 
Wickford,  Pataxet,  Warren  &  Bristol.  .  .  . 

Newport  est  renomme"  pour  les  bourgies  de  Sperma- 
ceti :  outre  leur  blancheur,  qui  les  rend  plus  agreables 
a  la  vue  que  la  cire,  elles  ont  Pavantage  de  ne  donner 
ni  fume'e,  ni  odeur  de"sagre"able. 

Providence  est  encore  une  grand  ville,  dans  Pfitat  de 
Rhodeisland:  elle  contient  environ  quatre  mille  habi- 
tans ;  mais  ce  qui  le  distingue  sur-tout,  ce  sont  les 
manufactures  de  drap,  dout  elle  a  un  prodigieux  d£bit. 


1795.     Rev.  John  Pierce. 

John  Pierce  (1773-1859)  was  a  Unitarian  clergy- 
man, for  fifty  years  pastor  of  the  Brookline  Church. 
He  was  one  of  the  institutions,  not  to  say  traditions,  of 
Harvard.  He  was  present  at  sixty-three  commence- 
ments and  for  fifty-four  years  led  the  singing  of  the  tune 
of  "  St.  Martin's  "  at  the  commencement  dinner.  His 
memoirs  were  left  to  the  Massachusetts  Historical  So- 
ciety. The  quotation  here  given  is  taken  from  his 
manuscript  journal  as  published  in  the  Society's  Pro- 
ceedings,  2d  Series,  III.  41-43. 


126  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

Wednesday,  2  September,  notwithstanding  the  rain, 
we  proceeeded  to  Providence,  and  stopped  at  Tyler's 
Hotel,  near  the  Baptist  Meetinghouse. 

At  X,  we  attended  the  Commencement  Exercises  in 
this  House.  President  Maxcy  presided.  Dr.  Still- 
man,  of  Boston,  offered  the  concluding  prayer. 

In  the  morning  the  audience  was  small. 

P.  M.  the  assembly  was  larger.  Twenty-six  were 
graduated,  the  compositions  of  the  students  were  ex- 
ceedingly florid.  No  figures  were  too  bold  to  be  used. 
The  students  were  much  dressed.  The  speaking  was 
very  declamatory.  We  dined  with  the  College  Officers 
and  invited  guests  in  the  College  Hall.  The  Presi- 
dent asked  the  blessing.  Dr.  Hopkins,  of  Newport, 
Author  of  the  Hopkinsian  system,  returned  thanks. 
He  was  then  74  years  of  age.  He  looked,  as  if  he 
were  100.  President  Maxcy,  at  the  close  of  the  Exer- 
cises, made  a  solemn  address  to  the  Graduates.  I  saw 
Classmates  Angier  and  Avery,  &  Professor,  afterwards 
President  Webber. 

I  spent  the  evening  at  the  room  of  Mr.  Wiswell,  one 
of  the  graduates,  in  sacred  music.  ^ 

Thursday,  3  September  visited  various  parts  of  the 
Town  of  Providence.  An  elegant  Meeting  house,  with 
two  Towers,  after  the  Model  of  the  Church,  in  Hollis 
Street,  Boston,  was  lately  erected,  in  which  Dr.  Hitch- 
cock preaches. 

I  viewed  the  improvements  of  Mr.  Brown.  He  has 
removed  a  Hill  of  about  83  feet  in  height  into  low 
land,  to  make  a  wharf,  &c.  He  has  a  large  Distillery, 
and  fattens  cattle  from  the  remains  of  the  grains,  which 
have  undergone  the  process  of  fermentation.  He  owns 
a  large  Wharf,  at  which  lay  an  Indiaman  of  between 
6  &  700  Tons. 

P.  M.  we  visited  the  Cemetery,  two  or  three  miles 
from  the  centre  of  the  Town.  It  contains  handsome 


WILLIAM    WINTERBOTHAM.  127 

Monuments,  decent  gravestones,  and  some  elegant  Epi- 
taphs^ 

At  V,  P.  M.,  we  passed  through  Johnston,  and 
arrived  at  Fish's,  Scituate,  where  we  spent  the  night. 

Providence  stands  at  the  junction  of  Providence  & 
Taunton  rivers,  and  has  the  advantage  over  Newport 
by  the  superiority  of  its  market.  The  buildings  in 
general  are  indifferent,  though  some  are  elegant.  The 
Baptist  Church  is  one  of  the  most  elegant  and  spacious 
in  the  United  States.  It  was  built  by  blank  Sumner, 
father  of  Thomas  W.  Sumner,  who  has  been  an  Archi- 
tect. The  College  is  a  convenient  brick  edifice,  com- 
manding an  extensive  view  of  the  surrounding  country. 
They  have  a  Theatre  nearly  finished. 


1795.     William  Winterbotham. 

Winterbotham  was  a  native  of  London,  and  assistant 
minister  of  a  Baptist  congregation  in  Plymouth,  Eng- 
land. On  account  of  two  sermons  preached  there,  in 
which  he  commended  the  French  Revolution  and  advo- 
cated a  reform  of  the  British  Parliament,  he  was  tried  for 
sedition  in  1793,  and  sentenced  to  pay  fines  amounting 
to  £200,  and  to  undergo  four  years'  imprisonment. 
His  work  upon  the  United  States,  in  four  volumes, 
was  written  in  Newgate  Prison,  "  with  the  Assistance 
of  Persons  who  have  resided  in  and  who  are  in  the 
constant  Habit  of  extensive  Correspondence  with  the 
different  States." 

The  extract  given  is  taken  from  An  Historical,  Geo- 
graphical, Commercial,  and  Philosophical  View  of  the 
American  United  States,  Vol.  II.,  p.  226.  London,  1795. 


128  PICTUEES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

General  Description  of  Rhode-Island. 

Soil,  Productions,  etc. 

A  country  for  pasture,  and  not  for  grain.  ...  It 
however  produces  corn,  rye,  barley,  oats,  and  in  some 
parts  wheat  sufficient  for  home  consumption ;  and  the 
various  kinds  of  grasses,  fruits,  culinary  roots  and 
plants  in  great  abundance,  .  .  .  and  cyder  is  made  for 
exportation.  .  .  .  The  tract  of  country  lying  be- 
tween South-Kingston  and  the  Connecticut  line,  called 
the  Narraganset  country,  is  excellent  grazing  land,  and 
is  inhabited  by  a  number  of  wealthy  farmers,  who  raise 
some  of  the  finest  neat  cattle  in  New-England,  weigh- 
ing from  sixteen  to  eighteen  hundred  weight.  They 
keep  large  dairies,  and  make  both  butter  and  cheese  of 
the  best  quality  and  in  very  large  quantities  for  expor- 
tation. Narraganset  has  been  famed  for  an  excellent 
breed  of  pacing  horses,  remarkable  for  their  speed  and 
hardiness,  and  for  enduring  the  fatigues  of  a  journey  ; 
this  breed  of  horses  has,  however,  much  depreciated  of 
late,  the  best  mares  having  been  purchased  by  the  peo- 
ple from  the  westward.  The  bowels  of  the  earth  in 
this  State  offer  a  large  recompense  to  the  industrious 
adventurer.  Iron  ore  is  found  in  great  plenty  in  sev- 
eral parts  of  the  State.  The  iron  works  on  Patuxet 
river,  twelve  miles  from  Providence,  are  supplied  with 
ore  from  a  bed  four  miles  and  a  half  distant,  which  lies 
in  a  valley,  through  which  runs  a  brook.  .  .  . 

At  Diamond-Hill,  in  the  county  of  Providence,  which 
is  so  called  from  its  sparkling  and  shining  appearance, 
there  are  a  variety  of  peculiar  stones,  more  curious  than 
at  present  they  appear  to  be  useful ;  but  not  far  from 
this  hill,  in  the  township  of  Cumberland,  is  a  copper 
mine,  mixed  with  iron  strongly  impregnated  with  load- 
stone. .  .  . 

There  are  several  mineral  springs  in  this  State,  to  one 
of  which,  near  Providence,  many  people  resort  to  bathe 


WILLIAM    WINTHERBOTHAM.  129 

and  drink  the  water.  .  .  .  Rhode-Island  is  considered 
by  travellers  as  the  best  fish  market,  not  only  in  the 
United  States,  but  in  the  world. 

NEWPORT.  .  .  . 

The  excellent  accommodations  and  regulations  of  the 
numerous  packets  which  belong  to  this  port,  and  which 
ply  thence  to  Providence  and  New- York,  ought  not  to 
pass  unnoticed;  they  are  said  to  be  superior  to  any 
thing  of  the  kind  in  Europe. 

PROVIDENCE.  .  .  . 

This  town  is  divided  into  two  parts  by  the  river,  and 
connected  by  a  bridge,  formerly  called  Weybosset,  from 
a  high  hill  of  that  name  which  stood  near  the  west  end 
of  the  bridge,  but  which  is  now  removed,  and  its  base 
built  upon ;  this  bridge  which  is  the  only  one  of  any 
considerable  note  in  this  State,  is  one  hundred  and  sixty 
feet  long  and  twenty-two  feet  wide,  supported  by  two 
wooden  tressels  and  two  stone  pillars ;  its  situation 
affording  a  prospect  of  all  vessels  leaving  and  entering 
the  harbour,  renders  it  a  pleasant  place  of  resort  in  the 
summer.  Ships  of  almost  any  size  sail  up  and  down 
the  channel,  which  is  marked  out  by  stakes,  erected  at 
points,  shoals,  and  beds  lying  in  the  river,  so  that 
strangers  may  come  up  to  the  town  without  a  pilot, 

A  ship  of  950  tons,  for  the  East-India  trade,  was 
lately  built  in  this  town,  and  fitted  for  sea. 

The  public  buildings,  an  elegant  meeting-house  for 
the  Baptists,  eighty  feet  square,  with  a  lofty  and  beau- 
tiful steeple  and  a  large  bell,  cast  at  the  Furnace  Hope 
in  Scituate — a  meeting-house  for  Friends  or  Quakers, 
two  for  Congregational!  sts,  an  episcopal  church,  a  hand- 
some court-house,  seventy-feet  by  forty,  in  which  is 
deposited  a  library  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants  of 


130  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

the  town  and  country — a  work-house,  a  market-house 
eighty  feet  long  and  forty  feet  wide,  and  a  brick  school- 
house,  in  which  four  schools  are  kept.  The  houses  in 
this  town  are  generally  built  of  wood,  though  there  are 
some  brick  buildings  which  are  large  and  elegant. 

At  a  convenient  distance  from  the  town,  an  hospital 
for  the  small-pox  and  other  diseases  has  been  erected. 
There  are  two  spermaceti  works,  a  number  of  distiller- 
ies, sugar  houses,  and  other  manufactures. 

About  four  miles-north-east  of  Providence  lies  a  small 
village  called  Pautucket,  a  place  of  some  trade,  and 
famous  for  lamprey  eels.  .  .  . 

TRADE  AND  MANUFACTURES 

Before  the  war,  the  merchants  in  Rhode-Island  im- 
ported from  Great-Britain  dry  goods ;  from  Africa 
slaves ;  from  the  West-Indies  sugars,  coffees,  and  mo- 
lasses, and  from  the  neighbouring  colonies  lumber  and 
provisions.  .  .  .  But  the  war,  and  some  other  events, 
have  had  a  great,  and  in  many  respects,  an  injurious 
effect  upon  the  trade  of  this  State.  The  slave  trade, 
which  was  a  source  of  wealth  to  many  of  the  people  in 
Newport,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  State,  has  happily 
been  abolished ;  .  .  . 

The  present  exports  are  flax  seed,  lumber,  horses, 
cattle,  beef,  pork,  fish,  poultry,  onions,  butter,  cheese, 
barley,  grain,  spirits,  and  cotton  &  linen  goods.  The 
imports  consist  chiefly  of  European  and  West-India 
goods,  and  logwood  from  the  Bay  of  Honduras. 

Upwards  of  600  vessels  enter  and  clear  annually 
at  the  different  ports  in  this  State.  ...  A 
cotton  manufactory  has  been  erected  at  Providence, 
which,  from  present  prospects,  will  answer  the  expec- 
tations of  the  proprietors.  The  warps  are  spun  by 
water  with  a  machine,  which  is  an  improvement  on  Mr. 


DUKE    OF    LA    ROCHEFOUCAULD- LI  ANCOURT.     131 

Arkwright's  ;  and  strong,  smooth  and  excellent  yarn 
is  thus  made  both  for  warps  and  stockings.  .  .  . 
Jeans,  fustians,  denims,  thicksets,  velvets,  &c.  are  here 
manufactured  and  sent  to  the  southern  States.  .  .  . 
But  the  most  considerable  manufactures  in  this  State 
are  those  of  iron,  such  as  bar  and  sheet  iron,  steel,  nail 
rods  and  nails,  implements  of  husbandry,  stoves,  pots, 
and  other  household  utensils,  anchors,  bells,  &c.  The 
other  manufactures  of  this  State  are  rum,  corn  spirits, 
chocolate,  paper,  wool  and  cotton,  cards,  &c. 


1795.      The  Duke  of  La  Rochefoucauld- 
Liancourt 

La  Rochefoucauld  (1749-1827),  was  a  type  of  the 
grand  seigneur  of  the  old  regime.  He  had  travelled 
and  lived  in  England,  and  endeavored  to  manage  his 
estates  in  France  on  the  model  of  the  English  country 
gentleman.  During  the  Revolution  he  was  proscribed, 
but  contrived  to  escape  to  England.  In  1792  he  came 
to  America,  and  travelled  extensively.  He  describes 
his  journeys  with  care  and  candor,  and  seems  to  have 
managed  to  extract  valuable  information  from  all  sorts 
and  conditions  of  men.  He  returned  to  France  in 
1799,  but  in  spite  of  opportunities  and  solicitations, 
refused  to  involve  himself  in  political  matters. 

The  extract  given  here  is  taken  from  his  Travels 
through  the  United  States  of  North  America  in  1795, 
1796  and  1797.  Vol.  II,  p.  272,  et  seq.  (London, 
1800.) 


132  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

This  island  [Rhode-Island]  exhibits  a  continued 
succession  of  meadows  and  maize.  Barley  is  likewise 
produced  here  in  considerable  abundance.  The  brew- 
eries of  Philadelphia  and  New  York  furnish  an  ad- 
vantageous market  for  this  last  article.  Formerly  this 
island  was  extensively  covered  with  fruit-trees  and 
other  wood.  But  these  the  English  destroyed  during 
the  war.  The  soil  is  light,  sandy,  and,  in  general,  un- 
improved by  manure  or  skilful  tillage.  The  medium 
produce  of  the  meadows  is  a  ton  of  hay  per  acre ;  the 
ground  under  tillage"  yields,  an  acre,  twenty-five  bush- 
els of  maize,  or  one  hundred  bushels  of  potatoes. 
There  are  instances  of  greater  produce  ;  but  these  oc- 
cur only  where  particular  land-holders  have  cultivated 
their  ground  with  unusual  intelligence  and  care.  .  .  . 
The  common  extent  of  the  farms  is  seventy  acres. 
Some  small  number  of  them  contain  two  hundred 
acres ;  and  three  or  four,  even  four  hundred  acres. 

The  farm  of  Samuel  Elem,  to  whom  I  had  a  letter 
from  William  Rush,  is  four  hundred  acres  in  extent. 
He  is  the  only  farmer  in  the  island  who  does  not  per- 
sonally labour  upon  his  own  ground.  He  is  an  English- 
man, from  Yorkshire.  He  came  hither  as  a  merchant 
before  the  revolution.  The  length  of  his  necessary 
stay  gave  him  a  fondness  for  the  country,  and  inclined 
him  to  settle  in  it.  He  lives  in  a  snug  small  house, 
five  miles  from  Newport,  and  near  to  East  Passage. 
Agriculture  is  the  only  business  that  he  now  follows. 
He  does  not  boast  of  having  found  it,  as  yet,  very  profit- 
able. .  .  .  The  stone  fences  enclosing  his  fields  are 
higher  and  better  than  any  I  have  seen  in  Massachusetts. 
His  meadows  are  in  a  state  of  improvement  and  fer- 
tility, which  is  considerably  profitable.  But  the  diffi- 
culty of  procuring  laborers  stands  greatly  in  the  way 
of  all  agricultural  improvements  in  these  parts.  Mr. 
Elem  .  .  .  often  meets  with  a  contradictory  spirit 


DUKE   OF   LA   ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT.     133 

in  his  working-people,  who  are  apt  to  think,  that  their 
toil  must  make  them  more  skilful  in  husbandry  than 
their  idle  master. 


The  cheese  of  Rhode  Island  is  famous  throughout 
all  America  ;  but  the  only  cheese  which  these  parts  now 
furnish  for  exportation  is  from  the  isles  of  Connanicut 
and  Block,  which  make  part  of  this  state.  .  .  . 

The  following  reasons  are  assigned  for  the  poverty 
of  the  farmers  of  Rhode-Island.  It  is  usual  for  the 
young  people,  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  to  leave  the  family 
of  their  parents,  and  go  into  the  service  of  others. 
The  parents  find  it  vain  to  endeavour  to  detain  them ; 
for,  if  not  permitted  to  do  as  others  do,  they  will  not 
work  at  home.  In  consequence,  other  labourers  are  to 
be  hired ;  and  that  accumulation  of  stock  is  materially 
hindered  which  might  be  best  produced  by  the  joint 
labour  of  a  whole  family,  without  hired  assistance.  Be- 
sides, so  many  are  disposed  to  become  farmers  for 
themselves,  even  without  any  adequate  stock,  that 
labourers  are  not  to  be  procured  for  any  reasonable 
hire,  even  in  cases  of  the  most  urgent  necessity.  2.  It 
is  a  disadvantage  also  to  the  agriculture  of  this  territory, 
that  it  is  everywhere  adjacent  to  the  sea.  The  young 
people  have,  in  consequence  of  this,  been  long  accus- 
tomed to  prefer  a  seafaring  life  to  husbandry,  because 
the  former  affords  higher  wages  in  money,  and  is  more 
grateful  to  the  roving  spirit  of  inexperienced  youth. 
Even  the  resident  farmers  are  tempted  to  join  the  fish- 
ing with  the  toils  of  husbandry,  as  the  fishing  affords, 
at  all  times  in  the  year,  a  very  plentiful  supply  for  the 
nourishment  of  their  families.  They,  consequently, 
take  little  care  to  improve  the  soil  to  its  highest  pitch 
of  cultivation.  The  same  thing  may  be  said  of  the 
inhabitants  all  along  the  sea-coast  of  America.  3. 
There  is  a  want  of  a  regular  and  profitable  market  for 


134  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

the  superfluous  produce  of  the  isle.  There  is,  indeed, 
a  market-place  in  the  town  of  Newport ;  but  the  farmers 
rarely  bring  their  grain  hither  for  sale  ;  nor  do  those 
who  are  in  want  of  it  resort  to  this  market  to  supply 
themselves.  The  farmers  bring  flesh,  corn,  beans,  and 
pease  to  the  town,  and  there  place  it  in  houses  for  sale. 
When  purchasers  do  not  appear,  as  is  often  the  case ;. 
the  quantity  is  far  from  being  sufficiently  consider- 
able to  become  an  object  of  commercial  speculation  for 
foreign  export,  to  the  merchants.  4.  There  is  such 
an  extreme  scarcity"  of  wood,  that  no  farmer  who  is 
in  want  of  it,  can  supply  himself  at  a  less  price  than 
four  or  five  dollars  a  cord.  In  consequence  of  this 
want  of  trees,  the  whole  island  is  too  much  exposed 
to  the  winds,  which  often  blow  over  it  with  a  very 
troublesome  violence.  There  has  been  a  remarkable 
difference  in  the  produce  of  fruit  upon  the  farms  of 
this  isle,  ever  since  the  great  trees  were  destroyed 
by  the  English  during  the  war.  5.  The  elections 
to  all  places  in  the  government,  and  to  the  represen- 
tative representation,  are  renewed  every  six  months ; 
and  the  frequent  journies  and  public  meetings  which 
these  occasion,  seem  to  withdraw  the  attention  of 
these  people,  in  too  great  a  degree,  from  their  hus- 
bandry. 6.  Lastly,  the  people  of  Rhode-Island  are 
singularly  illiterate.  Scarcely  has  the  whole  island 
a  single  well-conducted  free-school ;  such  is  the  oppo- 
sition of  prejudice  to  every  thing  of  this  nature.  The 
public  records  of  the  small  state  of  Ehode-Island  are 
in  greater  disorder  than  those  of  any  one  else  ;  and 
this  disorder  is  a  primary  cause  of  the  ignorance  of  the 
inhabitants  ;  so  that  all  their  shortcomings  in  the  respect 
of  knowledge,  are  plainly  to  be  charged  to  the  misconduct 
of  their  rulers.  .  .  .  Newport  is  accounted  the 
chief  town  of  the  state  of  Rhode-Island.  It  is  the 
most  ancient ;  the  deputies  of  the  state  hold  their  as- 


DUKE   OF    LA   ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT.     135 

semblies  there  :  but  Providence  is  more  populous,  and 
carries  on  a  considerable  trade.  Before  the  war,  there 
were  in  Newport  ten  thousand  inhabitants  ;  in  Provi- 
dence, not  more  than  one  thousand.  Providence  now 
contains  seven  thousand ;  Newport,  but  five  thousand 
inhabitants.  Many  of  the  richer  inhabitants  of  Newport 
have  deserted  it.  A  number  of  families  forsaking  this 
town  in  the  time  of  the  revolution,  while  it  was  in  the 
possession  of  the  English,  retired  to  Providence,  and 
settling  there,  have  never  since  been  induced  to 
change  their  residence.  Those,  on  the  other  hand, 
who  were  attached  to  the  cause  of  England,  went 
away  with  the  English  troops,  when  these  were 
obliged  to  evacuate  the  island.  Political  dissen- 
sions, which  long  distracted  Rhode-Island,  contributed 
farther  to  this  desertion  of  Newport.  It  is  only  within 
these  last  two  or  three  years,  that  its  trade  has  begun 
to  revive.  -It  has  twelve  vessels  of  some  considerable 
burthen,  engaged  in  the  trade  to  Europe  ;  two  or  three  of 
which  sail  to  the  coast  of  Guinea  for  cargoes  of  negroes, 
which  they  bring  for  sale  to  Georgia  and  the  West- 
India  isles ;  forty  more,  which  are  employed  in  the 
coasting-trade,  and  sail  only  for  the  colonies.  The 
coasting-trade  is  that  which  the  people  of  this  toAvn 
chiefly  prefer.  The  amount  of  the  exports  from  New- 
port was,  in  1791,  of  the  value  of  two  hundred  and 
seventeen  thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety-four 
dollars;  .  .  .  in  1795,  three  hundred  and  seven- 
teen thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty  dollars. 

Barley  is  the  principal  article  of  agricultural  produce, 
which  it  furnishes  for  exportation.  .  .  .  [It]  is 
freighted  rather  on  board  the  ships  from  Providence, 
than  in  those  from  Newport.  The  ships  from  Provi- 
dence carry  it  chiefly  into  the  southern  states,  from 
which  they  bring,  in  return,  other  cargoes,-  either  to 
some  port  in  the  United  States,  to  Europe,  or  to  the 
West-India  isles. 


136  PICTURES    OF    KHODE    ISLAND. 

The  houses  of  Newport  are  almost  all  very  small, 
and  miserably  bad  :  they  are  of  wood,  and  not  painted. 
In  the  town,  every  thing  wears  the  appearance  of  de- 
cay ;  but  the  harbour  has  a  show  of  opulence  and  active 
commerce.  The  vicinity  of  the  sea,  the  spaciousness 
and  security  of  the  road,  its  easiness  of  access,  and  its 
convenient  situation,  render  it  a  very  commodious 
shelter  for  vessels  going  from  the  southern  parts  of  the 
mainland  of  America,  towards  the  northern,  or  from 
the  north  southwards.  It  is  indeed  more  frequented 
than  any  other  port,  by  foreign  ships.  Newport,  with 
all  these  advantages,  seems  to  be  naturally  destined  to 
become  a  harbour  for  ships  of  war,  whenever  the 
United  States  shall  assume  the  consequence  of  a  Naval 
Power.  .  .  . 

In  Rhode-Island  there  is  the  same  freedom  of  re- 
ligious worship  and  opinions,  as  in  Pennsylvania. 
Baptists  and  Quakers  are  the  most  prevailing  sects; 
but  the  people  in  general,  in  this  island,  are  far  from 
being  religious  overmuch.  In  the  whole  island,  which 
is  fifteen  miles  long  and  three  miles  broad,  there  is  no 
church,  except  at  Newport ;  and  to  this  the  country- 
people  do  not  resort  above  four  times  in  the  year.  The 
people  of  this  state  are  reputed  to  be  indolent,  quarrel- 
some, and  litigious.  These  faults  of  character,  if  justly 
imputed,  are  sufficient  to  account  for  their  poverty. 
There  .  is  said  to  be  a  great  uncertainty  of  political 
opinions  in  Rhode-Island  :  they  were  not  unfavourable 
to  the  abominable  tyranny  of  Robespierre  ;  they  are  far 
less  friendly  to  France  since  the  guilt  of  that  tyranny 
has  been  suppressed,  and  order  restored.  Before  the 
war,  there  were  many  opulent  inhabitants  in  Rhode- 
Island  ;  at  present,  only  the  ruins  of  their  houses,  and 
the  traces  of  their  former  inclosures,  remain  to  be  seen. 
The  houses  are  either  desolate,  or  are  inhabited  in  their 
least  ruinous  parts,  by  people  who,  on  account  of  the 


DUKE   OF    LA    EOCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCX)URT.    137 

smallness  of  their  capitals,  their  dislike  to  labour,  and 
many  other  reasons,  are  much  inferior  in  condition  to 
the  people  of  the  other  parts  of  New  England. 

In  the  high-church  of  Newport,  there  is  a  monument 
erected  by  the  order  of  Louis  the  sixteenth,  to  the 
Chevalier  de  TERN  AY.  He  was  commander  of  the 
fleet  which  conveyed  M.  ROCHAMBEAU  and  the  French 
army  to  America.  He  died  at  Newport  in  the  year 
1780.  The  inscription  is  in  a  very  simple  style,  and 
speaks  very  much  in  honour  of  M.  de  Ternay. 

The  State  of  Rhode-Island  is  very  proud  of  having 
given  birth  to  General  Green,  one  of  the  greatest,  if 
not  absolutely  the  greatest,  of  American  generals.  He 
was,  by  birth,  a  Quaker,  and  was  a  respectable  trader 
in  Newport.  But,  for  the  sake  of  liberty,  he  quickly 
shook  off  the  prejudices  of  his  sect,  and  abandoned  his 
business.  He  went,  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  war, 
to  contend  against  British  opposition.  In  the  whole 
course  of  this  memorable  war,  there  was  not  a  battle, 
not  a  skirmish,  in  which  Green  did  not  distinguish  him- 
self by  signal  valour,  and  extraordinary  military  talents. 
His  sound  and  discerning  mind  rendered  often  the  most 
important  services  in  the  Council.  He  is,  above  all, 
famous  for  his  expedition  into  the  southern  states,  in 
the  year  1781.  .  .  .  he,  by  a  variety  of  the  most 
skilful  stratagems,  and  plans  of  annoyance,  and  by  the 
exertion  of  extraordinary  courage,  forced  the  English 
to  retire  gradually  from  the  provinces  of  Upper  Vir- 
ginia, North  Carolina,  and  almost  all  South  Carolina ; 
.  .  .  He  was  the  ardent  friend  of  liberty,  without 
laying  aside,  on  this  account,  all  respect  to  natural 
justice  and  humanity.  His  whole  life  was  spent  in  a 
continued  train  of  virtuous  actions.  After  these  illus- 
trious deeds  in  the  field,  he  was  hailed  as  the  deliverer 
of  the  southern  states,  and  received  the  thanks  of  the 
Congress.  He  died  within  a  few  years  after  the  estab- 


138  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

lishment  of  American  freedom.  The  Congress  erectedr 
at  the  public  expence,  a  monument  in  honour  of  hi& 
partriotism,  his  virtues,  and  his  talents ;  and  in  so  do- 
ing, gratified  the  earnest  desire  of  all  true-hearted 
Americans. 

Two  miles  beyond  Warren,  the  road  turns  to  Provi- 
dence in  Massachusetts.  The  land  is  there,  for  several 
miles,  so  sandy  and  boggy,  that  no  stones  can  be  found 
for  fences.  On  the  other  hand,  wood  is  so  scarce,  and 
so  costly,  that  it  can  be  as  little  applied  to  this  use  as 
stones.  Yet  the  fields  are  enclosed  with  fences,  which, 
to  two-thirds  of  the  height,  are  formed  of  turfs,  with 
cross-bars  of  timber  above.  In  other  places  where 
stones  are  not  so  scarce,  the  fences  are  formed  one-half 
of  stones,  one  half  of  wood. 

I  know  not  whether  it  might  be,  that  the  informa- 
tion which  I  received  in  Newport,  impressed  me  with 
unfavourable  prejudices  against  the  people  of  Rhode- 
Island  :  but  I  could  not  help  thinking,  that,  in  the 
short  part  of  my  way  which  now  led  through  the  state 
of  Massachusetts,  I  received  much  more  obliging  an- 
swers to  my  enquiries,  than  in  the  district  which  I  had 
left. 

I  had  ...  no  reason  to  complain  of  my  reception 
with  MOSES  BROWN,  to  whom  I  had  a  letter  of  intro- 
duction from  William  Rush.  He  lives  in  a  farm  not 
far  from  the  upper  bridge  over  Deacon's  River,  on  the 
way  to  Providence.  Moses  Brown  is  a  very  strict 
Quaker ;  became  a  Quaker  upon  conviction ;  and  has 
been  such  for  the  space  of  forty  years.  He  acquired  a 
considerable  fortune  in  trade,  of  which  he  has  resigned 
the  greater  part  to  his  son  ;  and  he  himself  now  lives 
in  quiet  cessation  from  business,  transacting  nothing  of 
that  sort  upon  his  own  account.  Notwithstanding  the 
rustic  simplicity  of  his  manners,  he  seemed  to  be  a  very 


DUKE    OF    I, A    ROCHEFOUCAULD-LI  ANCOURT.    139 

worthy  man.  He  pressed  me  to  stay  with  him  for  the 
evening,  telling  me,  that  he  did  not  ask  me  in  the  way 
of  empty  compliment,  but  that  if  he  had  not  desired 
my  company,  he  would  not  have  given  me  the  invitation. 
I  excused  myself,  by  mentioning,  that  as  I  had  but  very 
little  time  to  spend  at  Providence,  and  as  the  weather, 
though  generally  uncertain,  was  now  fair,  I  must,  there- 
fore, avail  myself  of  the  present  moment,  and  proceed 
on  my  journey. 

The  environs  of  Providence  are  more  interesting  than 
those  of  Newport :  and  they  give  to  an  approaching 
traveller,  very  favourable  ideas  of  the  town  which  he 
is  about  to  enter.  The  hill  at  the  foot  of  which  the 
town  lies,  and  over  which  you  must  pass  into  it,  is 
intersected  into  two  parts  by  a  paved  road,  which  has  a 
slow  and  gentle  descent.  The  town  lies  on  both  sides 
of  the  river  :  a  well-constructed  bridge  affords  a  ready 
communication  between  its  two  divisions.  Lofty,  well- 
built  and  well-furnished  houses,  are  numerous  in  this 
town,  which  is  becoming  continually  larger :  and  the 
prospect  of  an  increase  of  wealth  and  populousness,  has 
induced  the  inhabitants  to  set  apart  a  considerable  ex- 
tent of  the  adjacent  hill  for  new  buildings.  The  trade 
of  Providence,  as  I  mentioned  above,  is  four  or  five 
times  as  great  as  that  of  Newport.  Its  exports  are 
partly  from  this  state,  and  in  part  from  Massachusetts 
and  Connecticut.  A  distillery,  perhaps  the  greatest  in 
the  American  States,  extensive  manufactures  of  nails 
and  of  other  forged  iron-work,  contribute  much  to  the 
exportation  from  this  place. 

In  the  course  of  this  last  year,  endeavours  have  been 
made  to  introduce  the  manufacture  of  cotton-yarn  and 
stuffs  into  Providence.  The  author  of  this  undertak- 
ing says,  that  he  finds  it  already  profitable  :  But  I 
should  suspect  this  to  be,  rather  the  boast  of  sanguine 
expectation,  and  of  self-conceit,  than  the  actual  truth  of 


140  PICTUKES    OF    EHODE    ISLAND. 

the  facts.  All  machines  in  America  are  indeed  more 
or  less  profitable  :  but  the  machinery  Avhich  requires 
workmen  to  be  employed  about  it,  is  by  no  means  to 
be  compared  to  that  of  Europe,  where  a  truly  good 
workman  gets  one-half  less  than  in  America,  especially 
in  its  sea-port  towns. 

There  are  some  ships  from  Providence  engaged  in 
the  accursed  traffic  of  negroes,  in  contempt  of  the 
orders  of  Congress,  by  which  it  has  been  forbidden. 
The  merchants  concerned  in  this  trade  persuade  them- 
selves, that  Congress  cannot  alter  the  Constitution; 
and  therefore  think,  that  in  spite  of  whatever  Congress 
shall  order,  they  may  continue  the  slave-trade  till 
1808,  the  year  fixed  in  the  Constitution  for  its  final 
cessation.  They  allege  farther,  that  every  state  pos- 
sesses a  right  to  decide  for  itself  in  regard  to  this 
traffic ;  and  that  the  state  of  Rhode-Island  has  not,  as 
yet,  made  any  enactment  against  it.  They  therefore 
purchase  negroes,  and  carry  them  to  sale  in  Georgia, 
where  there  is  no  prohibition  of  any  sort  against  the 
trade.  Nearly  twenty  ships  from  the  harbours  of  the 
United  States  are  employed  in  the  importation  of  ne- 
groes to  Georgia,  and  to  the  West-India  isles. 

I  am  surprised,  that,  while  there  is  so  strong  and 
general  a  disapprobation  of  this  whole  trade,  and  while 
it  is  in  such  direct  contradiction  to  the  spirit  of  free- 
dom, and  to  the  predominant  sentiments  throughout 
America,  Congress  should  neglect  to  interpose,  and  en- 
tirely suppress  it  here.  I  was  informed,  that  this  is 
about  to  happen  :  But  it  is  likewise  to  be  owned,  that 
the  merchants  of  Rhode-Island  carry  on  the  slave- 
trade  in  a  way  less  offensive  to  humanity,  than  that  in 
which  it  is  conducted  by  the  merchants  of  Europe. 
They  take  but  one  negro  for  every  ton  of  the  ship  ; 
while  the  English  merchants,  it  is  said,  take  from  one 
and  a  half  to  two  negroes  a  ton.  Even  in  fetters,  the 


DUKE    OF    LA    ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT.    141 

negroes  have  more  room,  and  suffer  less.  The  ship& 
engaged  in  this  trade  are  usually  not  very  large  ;  and 
the  negroes,  I  was  assured,  commonly  arrive  at  the 
place  of  their  destination  in  good  health. 

There  goes  but  a  single  vessel  from  Providence  to 
the  whale-fishery.  Ill  success  has  occasioned  some 
others,  which  were  formerly  employed  in  the  same 
fishery,  to  be  withdrawn  from  it.  The  maritime  traffic 
from  Providence  is  principally  that  to  China,  and  to 
Nootka  Sound.  The  augmentation  of  the  number  of 
ships  belonging  to  this  port,  the  increase,  and  the  im- 
proved elegance  of  the  buildings,  is  more  the  conse- 
quence of  the  growing  wealth  of  the  people  of  the 
place,  than  of  any  new  resort  of  foreigners  to  settle 
here. 

This  small  state,  situate  in  the  middle  of  New  Eng- 
land, differs  much  from  that  state,  by  peculiarity  of 
customs,  usages,  and  opinions,  which,  whether  good  or 
bad,  have  necessarily  a  great  influence  upon  the  govern- 
ment. There  seems  to  be  a  general  desire  for  a  change 
of  the  constitution  of  Rhode-Island. 

The  population  of  this  whole  state  amounts  to  about 
sixty-eight  thousand  souls.  The  highest  amount  of 
the  taxes  is  twenty-thousand  dollars  in  the  year.  When 
it  is  considered,  that  the  Governor's  salary  is  only  six 
hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars  and  two-thirds ;  and 
that  the  members  of  the  assembly  receive  no  salary ; 
this  moderate  sum  will  not  be  thought  inadequate  to 
the  purposes  to  which  it  is  to  be  applied.  Newport 
furnishes  three  thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixteen  dol- 
lars, two-thirds  of  this  sum ;  and  Providence  contri- 
butes seven  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars. 
The  taxes  paid  by  the  country  are  nearly  equal  to  those 
from  the  towns.  There  are  but  few  poor  to  be  main- 
tained by  public  charity,  in  it.  The  Quakers  are  not 
much  in  favour  here.  They  have  an  austerity  in  their 


142  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

appearance,  an  extravagance  in  their  principles,  and  an 
oddity  in  their  state.  The  roads  are  repaired  by  the 
common  labour  of  the  inhabitants.  No  extraordinary 
expence  is  ever  applied  to  the  improvement  of  the 
roads.  The  state  is  so  small,  that  these  people  give 
themselves  very  little  concern  about  highways.  In 
travelling,  they  call  roads  good  or  bad,  without  farther 
care.  When  there  is  anything  of  indispensable  neces- 
sity to  be  done  to  them,  they  then  raise  a  voluntary 
subscription  to  accomplish  it. 

The  number  of  people  really  opulent  in  this  state  is 
not  considerable  ;  nor  is  the  number  much  greater  of 
those  who  affect  the  appearance  of  wealth ;  for  this 
last  is  prevented  by  the  democratical  spirit  of  the  con- 
stitution, and  by  the  tone  of  public  opinion  throughout 
the  country.  There  are,  besides,  certain  taxes  imposed, 
particularly  upon  those  who  live  in  a  sumptuous  style. 
There  is  in  Providence  a  college  for  the  education  of 
youth  in  the  different  branches  of  learning ;  but  so  far 
is  it  from  being  very  eminent  or  in  high  reputation, 
that  they  who  wish  to  give  their  children  a  good  edu- 
cation, send  them  to  Massachusetts  or  Connecticut. 
The  funds  for  the  support  of  this  college  were  bestowed 
chiefly  by  Baptists ;  in  consequence  of  which  it  is  set- 
tled that  the  president,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
other  teachers,  must  belong  to  that  religion ;  and  they 
are,  therefore,  chiefly  young  persons  of  the  Baptist  sect 
who  are  educated  in  it.  The  Quakers  are  not  much  in 
favour  here.  They  have  an  austerity  injtheir  appear- 
ance, an  extravagance  in  their  principles,  and  an  oddity 
in  their  customs,  and  even  in  their  dress,  which,  in  my 
opinion,  differ  widely  and  disadvantageously  from  the 
amiable  simplicity  of  the  character  and  manners  of  the 
Quakers  of  Philadelphia. 

But  here,  as  elsewhere,  the  Quakers  strongly  disap- 
prove of  slavery,  and  of  the  traffic  in  negroes.  On 


DUKE   OF    LA    ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT.    143 

this  account  they  are  looked  on  with  an  evil  eye  by  the 
slave  owners ;  because  the  smallness  of  the  state  ren- 
ders it  exceedingly  easy  for  the  slaves  receiving  any 
encouragement  to  that  effect,  to  make  their  escape  from 
their  masters. 

In  Providence  there  are  some  rich  merchants,  who 
expend  their  wealth  by  living  in  a  comfortably  sump- 
tuous style.  Such  are  Messrs.  CLARK  and  NIGHTIN- 
GALE. I  had  a  letter  of  introduction  to  them.  The 
former  received  me  very  hospitably,  and  seemed  to  be 
a  man  of  sound  intelligence,  and  considerable  informa- 
tion. By  him  I  was  introduced  to  an  inhabitant  of 
the  town,  who  had  lately  returned  from  France.  This 
man  spoke  strongly  against  the  revolution,  and  the 
crimes  to  which  it  had  given  birth.  He,  at  the  same  time 
related,  that  at  the  Castle  of  Vincennes,  he  had  obtained 
an  excellent  bargain  of  the  property  of  an  emigrant, 
and  named  others  who  had  been  as  great  gainers  as  he, 
by  proscriptions  and  confiscations ;  I  know  not  the 
gentleman's  name ;  if  I  did,  I  should  think  it  my  duty 
to  make  it  public. 

The  richest  merchant  in  Providence  is  JOHN  BROWN, 
brother  to  Moses  Brown,  the  Quaker  above-mentioned. 
In  one  part  of  the  town  he  has  accomplished  things 
that,  even  in  Europe,  would  appear  considerable.  At 
his  own  expence  he  has  opened  a  passage  through  a 
hill  to  the  river,  and  has  there  built  wharfs,  houses,  an 
extensive  distillery,  and  even  a  bridge,  by  which  the 
road  from  Newport  to  Providence  is  shortened  by  at 
least  a  mile.  He  has  sold  many  of  his  houses.  At 
his  wharfs  are  a  number  of  vessels,  which  are  constantly 
receiving  or  discharging  cargoes.  In  his  distillery  he 
maintains  a  great  number  of  oxen,  the  labour  of  which 
is  extremely  useful,  and  a  great  saving  of  expence  to 
him.  I  had  no  letter  of  introduction  to  him  ;  and  my 
stay  in  Providence  was  too  short  to  admit  of  my  be- 


144  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

coming  acquainted  with  him.  I  exceedingly  regretted 
to  find  myself  obliged  to  leave  the  town,  without  con- 
versing with  a  man,  the  extent  of  whose  establish- 
ments, and  the  success  of  whose  trade,  evince  him  to  be 
a  person  of  extraordinary  intelligence  and  enlargement 
of  mind. 

At  Providence,  and  throughout  the  whole  state,  the 
produce  of  the  land  is  nearly  the  same  as  in  the  island. 
It  yields  of  maize  from  fifteen  to  twenty  bushels  an 
acre,  and  of  other  produce  in  proportion.  There  are 
two  churches  in  Providence,  one  for  Anabaptists, 
another  for  Presbyterians.  They  are  distinguished  for 
the  neatness  and  simplicity  in  their  structure  and 
decorations. 

The  wages  to  ship-carpenters  and  other  labourers  are 
nearly  the  same  in  Newport  and  Providence,  as  in  New 
Bedford.  But  negroes  are  almost  the  only  servants  to 
be  seen.* 

The  state  of  Rhode  Island,  and  particularly  the 
island,  have  suffered  a  considerable  loss  of  population 
by  emigration  to  the  newly  occupied  lands,  and  in  par- 
ticular to  Canada.  Fewer  in  proportion  have  gone 
from  Massachusetts  than  from  this  state.  Besides, 
Massachusetts  is  receiving  a  continual  influx  of  new 
inhabitants.  There  are  banks  in  both  these  states. 
That  of  Newport  is  of  recent  erection.  Its  notes  are 
generally  for  one  dollar  each. 

NEWPORT. 

The  Providence  packets  have  generally  parcels  and 
letters  for  Newport.  We  stopped  there  from  nine  at 
night  to  nine  in  the  morning.  It  gave  me  pleasure  to 
see  once  more,  not  this  dull  low  town,  but  its  environs, 

*  The  rates  of  wages  given  for  New  Bedford  are  '  'ordinary  labour- 
ers at  the  rate  of  from  eight  to  nine  dollars  a  month."  Travels,  p. 
271. 


DUKE   OF    LA    ROCHEFOUCAULD-LIANCOURT.     145 

which  form  a  charming  landscape,  and  are,  as  well  as 
the  whole  island,  one  of  the  most  healthy  parts  of 
America.  Several  families  of  Carolina,  Virginia,  and 
Maryland,  come  to  reside  here  every  year  to  avoid  the 
dreadful  heat  and  insalubrity  of  their  own  country. 
Newport  also  unites  the  advantage  of  a  low  price  for 
all  the  necessaries  of  life  with  that  of  not  offering  any 
means,  nor  holding  out  any  temptation,  for  expences 
foreign  to  the  necessities  of  existence. 

The  salubrity  of  the  town  of  Newport  is,  no  doubt, 
produced  by  the  keenness  of  the  air ;  yet  this  often 
proves  hurtful  to  the  inhabitants  in  their  youth,  and 
the  number  of  young  people,  especially  girls,  who  die 
of  complaints  in  the  lungs,  is  very  considerable.  It 
is  a  circumstance  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  inscrip- 
tion on  the  tomb-stones  mention  only  childhood,  youth, 
or  old  age  ;  they  record  the  deaths  of  few  persons  be- 
tween twenty  and  seventy  years  old,  but  a  considerable 
number  beyond  the  latter  age. 

The  town  of  Providence,  though  in  general  healthy, 
is  not  however  exempt  from  bilious  fevers  toward  the 
end  of  summer  and  autumn ;  but  these  complaints  are 
usually  unattended  with  danger.  Consumptions  in 
youthful  habits  are  as  common  here  as  at  Newport; 
and  many  individuals  fall  victims  to  them  before  the 
age  of  thirty. 

The  trade  of  Providence  employs  a  hundred  and 
forty-two  vessels  belonging  to  that  port;  and  very 
little  of  it  is  shared  by  foreign  ships,  even  by  those  of 
the  other  states.  That  trade,  as  I  think  I  remarked 
last  year,  consists  in  the  exportation  of  oxen,  live  hogs, 
salt  pork,  butter  and  cheese,  barley,  timber,  onions, 
rum,  whiskey,  gin,  flax-seed,  wrought  iron,  and  the 
commodities  imported  from  the  East  and  West  Indies. 
The  greater  part  of  the  cheese,  however,  is  consumed 
in  the  United  States,  to  which  the  port  of  Providence 


146  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

also  sends  great  quantities  of  lime-stone,  and  some  iron. 
.  .  .  The  iron  is  forged  within  the  state,  at  the 
falls  of  Potosky,  round  which  lies  a  very  rich  mine. 
Cannons  and  anchors  are  there  fabricated  ;  of  the  latter 
of  which  a  pretty  considerable  number  are  exported  to 
the  Indies.  The  value  of  the  exports  from  Providence 
was — in  1790,  from  the  month  of  June,  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  thousand,  two  hundred  and  thirty-one 
dollars.  .  .  .  in  1795,  one  million  forty  thous- 
and and  five — and,  for  the  first  six  months  of  1796, 
four  hundred  and  thirteen  thousand,  nine  hundred  and 
twenty-four. 

This  great  increase  in  the  value  of  the  exports  is  not 
here,  any  more  than  elsewhere,  a  true  criterion  of  their 
quantities ;  for,  although  I  have  not  had  time  to  take 
from  the  custom-house  books  an  abstract  of  the  differ- 
ent  articles  year  by  year,  and  to  compare  their  esti- 
mated values,  I  know  that  the  tonnage  of  the  port  of 
Providence  has  increased  only  in  a  very  small  propor- 
tion;  since  it  amounted  in  1792  to  eleven  thousand 
two  hundred  tons,  and  does  not  at  present  exceed  four- 
teen thousand  five  hundred.  It  is  true,  that,  during 
the  last  year,  the  shipping  of  that  port  suffered  losses 
to  the  amount  of  eleven  or  twelve  hundred  tons  by 
shipwreck,  captures,  &c. 

The  commerce  of  Providence  is  carried  on  with  the 
East  and  West  Indies,  Denmark,  the  north  of  Ger- 
many, and  the  coasts  of  Africa.  Some  of  her  vessels 
trade  to  France  ;  but  the  number  of  these  is  very  small. 
They  usually  carry  thither  tobacco  and  train-oil :  dur- 
ing the  last  two  years  they  carried  rice,  meal,  salt  beef, 
raw  hides,  and  shoes  for  the  army — Providence  and 
Newport  carry  on  no  trade  with  England ;  whatever 
British  commodities  they  want,  they  purchase  at  New 
York  and  Boston. 

To  the  value  of  the  exports  from   Providence  may 


DUKE   OF    LA    ROCHEFOUCATJLD-LIANCOURT.    147 

be  added  about  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars  in 
specie  which  are  annually  sent  out  for  the  trade  with 
India  and  China ;  since  that  money  may  truly  be 
called  the  produce,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  fruit  of  the 
produce,  of  the  state. 

The  principles  on  which  are  grounded  the  assessment 
and  the  levying  of  taxes  in  the  state  of  Rhode-Island 
are  essentially  the  same  as  they  were  at  the  period  of 
the  first  settlement  of  the  colony.  .  .  .  Those  taxes 
are  a  capitation,  a  tax  on  real  and  personal  property, 
from  which  a  law  of  1795  excepts,  as  untaxable  arti- 
cles, all  furniture  (not  including  plate),  implements  of 
agriculture,  workmen's  tools,  and  a  quarter  of  the  cap- 
ital employed  in  trade  on  sea.  The  raising  of  the  taxes 
rests  with  each  town  or  township,  which  is  responsible 
to  the  state-treasurer  for  the  proportion  of  the  taxes 
assigned  to  it  by  the  legislature.  The  ratio  is  regu- 
lated by  a  general  valuation  made  from  time  to  time, 
The  last  three  valuations  took  place  in  1767, 
1778,  and  1795.  On  the  first  of  those  occasions  the 
taxable  property  was  valued  at  seven  millions  three 
hundred  and  seventy-one  thousand  one  hundred  and 
eighty-six  dollars  ;  .  .  .  and,  in  1795,  at  fifteen  mil- 
lions five  hundred  thousand  dollars.  It  appears  that 
this  augmentation  in  the  quantum  of  taxable  property 
is  attributable  to  the  increase  of  the  capitals  employed 
in  trade,  more  than  to  any  other  cause. 

The  capitation-tax  is  settled  in  the  proportion  of  six- 
pence for  every  thousand  pounds  rated  to  the  state. 
The  towns  may  nevertheless  set  aside  this  tax,  provided 
they  contribute  their  quota  toward  satisfying  the  public 
demand  in  some  other  mode.  The  town  of  Providence, 
for  instance,  levies  her  proportion  of  it  only  on  movable 
and  immovable  estates. 


148  PICTURES    OF 'RHODE    ISLAND. 

The  taxes  of  the  state  of  Rhode-Island,  as  I  have 
already  observed,  amount  only  to  six  thousand  pounds, 
or  twenty- thousand  dollars,  and  are  regularly  paid.  The 
expence  of  the  civil  list  is  but  five  thousand  dollars. 
.  .  .  The  state  owes  about  ninety-eight  thousand 
dollars,  and  has,  for  the  discharge  of  that  sum,  no  other 
resource  than  taxation.  By  the  decision  of  the  com- 
missioners appointed  to  settle  the  accounts  between  the 
United  States  and  the  individual  states,  Rhode-Island 
is  creditor  to  the  Union  to  the  amount  of  two  hundred 
and  eighty-nine  thousand  six  hundred  and  eleven 
dollars. 


1 80 1.     President  Josiah  Quincy. 

Josiah  Quincy  (1772-1864),  of  Boston,  was  first 
noted  as  a  leader  of  the  Federalists  in  Congress.  He 
was  urgently  opposed  to  the  Embargo  and  the  war 
with  England,  and  his  speech  in  opposition  to  the  ad- 
mission of  Louisiana  into  the  Union  is,  according  to 
Hildreth,  a  the  first  announcement  on  the  floor  of  Con- 
gress of  the  doctrine  of  secession."  From  1823  to 
1828  Mr.  Quincy  was  Mayor  of  Boston. 

In  1829  he  was  chosen  President  of  Harvard  College, 
and  held  the  position  until  1845.  He  introduced  im- 
portant changes  into  the  curriculum  and  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  University.  This  extract  is  taken  from 
his  "  Diary  kept  on  a  Journey  through  South-eastern 
New  England,"  and  is  published  in  the  Proceedings  of 
the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  2d  Series,  IV. 
123-126. 


PRESIDENT    JOSIAH    QUINCY.  149 

June  4.  The  next  day  we  proceeded  to  Providence, 
having  dined  at  Wrentham,  and  stayed  an  hour  at  Paw- 
tucket.  In  general  the  road  is  rough  and  hilly,  and 
the  prospects  little  various  or  cultivated.  Woodland, 
pasturage,  and  meadows  chiefly  occupy  the  face  of  the 
country.  The  houses  which  we  passed  evidenced 
neither  thrifty  nor  ingenious  proprietors  ;  except,  in- 
deed, those  in  Wrentham  and  its  vicinity.  The  falls 
at  Pawtucket  are  the  objects  on  this  route  most  worthy 
the  attention  of  a  traveller.  They  are  formed  by 
several  ledges  of  rocks  extending  in  broken  lines  across 
the  bed  of  the  river.  The  centre  layers,  being  nearly 
at  right  angles  with  each  other,  collect  the  waters  from 
both  sides  of  the  stream  and  dash  them  down  to  a 
point.  This,  which  is  called  "  the  Pot,"  is  of  immense 
depth,  whence  the  flood  is  eternally  rising  in  rage  and 
foam.  In  the  Eighth  of  a  mile  the  whole  descent  is 
about  Sixty  feet.  A  bridge,  which  is  erected  over  the 
centre  ledges,  hides  much  of  the  grandeur  of  the  scene. 
This  is  also  diminished  by  the  divertion  of  the  water 
from  the  falls,  occasioned  by  numerous  canals,  cut  for 
the  use  of  manufactories,  erected  on  each  side  of  the 
river.  These  consist  chiefly  of  Iron,  paper,  and  cotton 
works,  in  the  last  of  which  a  very  complicated  and  in- 
genious machinery  performs  all  the  requisite  labour. 
We  found  the  proprietor  very  cautious  of  admitting 
strangers  to  view  its  ope  rations,  nor  would  he  grant  us  the 
privilege  until  he  had  received  satisfactory  assurances 
that  we  were  as  ignorant  and  unconcerned  about  every 
thing  relating  to  the  cotton  manufacture  as  he  could  wish. 
All  the  processes  of  turning  cotton  from  its  rough  into 
every  variety  of  marketable  thread  state,  such  as  clean- 
ing, carding,  spinning,  winding,  etc.,  are  here  performed 
by  machinery  operating  by  Water-wheels,  assisted  only 
by  children  from  four  to  Ten  years  old,  and  one  super- 
intendent. Above  an  hundred  of  the  former  are  em- 


150  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

ployed,  at  the  rate  of  from  12  to  25  cents  for  a  day's 
labour.  Our  attendant  was  very  eloquent  on  the  use- 
fulness of  this  manufacture,  and  the  employment  it 
supplied  for  so  many  poor  children.  But  an  eloquence 
was  exerted  on  the  other  side  of  the  question  more 
commanding  than  his,  which  called  us  to  pity  these 
little  creatures,  plying  in  a  contracted  room,  among 
flyers  and  coggs,  at  an  age  when  nature  requires  for 
them  air,  space,  and  sports.  There  was  a  dull  dejec- 
tion in  the  countenances  of  all  of  them.  This,  united 
with  the  deafening  roar  of  the  falls  and  the  rattling  of 
the  machinery,  put  us  into  a  disposition  easily  to  satisfy 
our  curiosity. 

June  5.  A  violent  storm  prevented  us  from  seeing 
as  much  of  Providence  as  we  intended.  Having  both 
of  us  been  in  this  place  before,  and  finding  our  lodgings 
not  very  commodious,  we  proceeded,  in  the  rain,  about 
Ten  miles,  to  Warren.  The  road  lies  through  a  well- 
cultivated  country,  interspersed  with  two  or  three  thick 
woods,  through  which  the  traveller  passes,  and  is  made 
pleasant  by  a  variety  of  fine  prospects.  Warren  is 
situated  upon  a  river  of  its  name,  which  joins  Provi- 
dence river  about  two  miles  from  the  village.  Every- 
thing about  it  bears  the  marks  of  industry,  frugality, 
neatness  and  prosperity,  very  equally  diifused.  Ac- 
cordingly, our  Landlord,  a  very  intelligent  and  com- 
municative Yankee,  assured  us  that  the  town  had  no 
poor  to  support,  and  that  no  one  of  its  inhabitants  was 
so  far  above  his  neighbors  as  to  be  called  rich.  This 
man,  who  was  both  tavern-keeper  and  carpenter,  I 
found  in  deep  political  discussion  with  Mr.  Fessenden, 
the  schoolmaster,  and  Mr.  Phillips,  who  was  at  once 
the  principal  village  trader,  its  custom-house  officer, 
Postmaster,  and  printer.  Fessenden  was  not  less 
oracular,  nor  solemn,  in  his  responses,  than  his  prede- 
cessor whom  Goldsmith  celebrates.  The  hammer  and 


PRESIDENT    JOSIAH    QUINCY.  151 

the  adze  were  motionless  as  he  displayed  before  the 
master  and  the  journeyman,  in  the  workshop,  "  all  he 
knew".  This  scene  was  the  more  pleasing  to  me  as 
Fessenden's  politics  were  sound,  and  as  he  appeared  to 
be  a  worthy  and  well-principled  man.  He  was  polite, 
and  offered  to  accompany  me  in  viewing  the  Town.  It 
is  built  upon  two  or  three  streets,  about  half  a  mile  in 
extent,  running  parallel  with  the  river,  and  upon  others 
crossing  these  at  right  angles.  The  houses  are  of  two 
stories,  generally  painted,  and  within  appear  remarkably 
clean  and  commodious.  Rows  of  cherry-trees,  planted 
in  front  of  most  of  the  houses,  give  the  place  an  un- 
common air  of  improvement  and  taste.  The  church 
and  the  Free-mason's  hall  are  the  only  public  build- 
ings. The  former  is  handsome,  and  the  latter,  having 
some  gilded  insignia  of  the  craft  at  each  of  its  ends,  has 
more  decoration  than  any  other  in  the  town.  It  is  of 
two  stories, — the  upper  destined  for  the  awful  secrets  of 
the  lodge,  the  lower  for  a  town  school.  This  was 
Fessenden's  hobby,  across  which  he  was  astride  as  soon 
as  we  were  in  sight  of  the  house,  and  rode  most  cheerily 
until  we  turned  our  backs  upon  this  deposit  of  his 
hopes.  "  I  expect  it  will  accommodate  forty  youth," 
said  he,  "  of  both  sexes.  It  is  to  be  called  an  Academy, 
and  is  to  be  under  my  direction  and  that  of  a  preceptress, 
who  I  intend  shall  be  the  most  accomplished  female 
that  can  be  procured  from  Boston".  Upon  this  he 
gave  me  an  insight  into  all  the  depth  and  extent  of  his 
plan  of  instruction,  in  all  which  it  was  plain  the  good 
man  had  worked  up  his  imagination  to  view  Warren  in 
vision  the  seat  of  the  muses,  and  himself  as  nothing 
less  than  high  priest  of  Apollo. 

There  is  sufficient  depth  of  water  in  Warren  river 
to  float  vessells  of  150  Tons  burthen,  loaded.  A  con- 
siderable carrying  trade  is  also  supported,  by  the  in- 
habitants, in  the  vessells  built  on  this  river. 


152  PICTURES    OF   RHODE    ISLAND. 

June  6.  From  Warren  to  Bristol  Ferry,  a  distance 
of  Six  miles,  there  is  a  constant  succession  of  beautiful 
landscapes,  combining  the  prospects  of  Providence  and 
Warren  rivers,  the  Islands  they  contain,  and  the  coun- 
try at  a  distance,  all  highly  cultivated.  Bristol, 
through  which  we  passed,  two  miles  from  the  ferry,  is 
a  nourishing  place,  and  is  the  shire-town  of  a  county  of 
its  name.  It  is  situated  on  a  bay  formed  by  the  waters 
of  the  Providence  river,  and  includes  within  its  boun- 
daries Mount  Hope,  celebrated  in  the  ancient  history 
of  our  country  as  the  residence  of  King  Philip.  Bris- 
tol carries  on  a  considerable  trade,  of  which  that  in 
slaves  has  not  been  the  least  successful,  as  several  very 
elegant  seats  were  pointed  out  for  which,  we  were  told, 
the  owners  were  indebted  to  that  traffic. 

Bristol  ferry  is  at  the  confluence  of  the  rivers  Taun- 
ton  and  Providence,  which  meet  in  Narraganset  Bay, 
at  the  North  end  of  Rhode  Island.  The  ferry  is  half 
a  mile  wide,  is  well  attended,  and  has  good  boats. 
Mount  Hope  lies  towards  the  North  West,  and  rises 
gradually,  with  a  beautiful  slope,  from  Taunton  river. 
It  is  eleven  miles  from  Bristol  ferry  to  Newport,  by  the 
Eastern  road.  This  passes  nearly  through  the  middle 
of  the  Island,  and  abounds  with  numberless  fine  views 
of  it,  of  Narraganset  Bay,  on  its  East  and  West  side,  of 
Providence  and  Taunton  rivers,  and  Mount  Hope  Bay. 
The  roads  are  excellent,  and  the  soil  is  rich  and  will- 
ing. All  the  wood  upon  this  Island  was  cut  off  by  the 
British  during  the  war,  so  that  there  is  at  present  none 
but  what  is  of  late  growth.  Marks  of  improvement 
are  here  rare.  From  the  appearance  of  the  buildings, 
one  cannot  refrain  from  believing,  what  is  said  to  be 
the  fact,  that  on  this  Island,  everything  has  been,  to 
say  the  least,  stationary  for  thirty  years  past.  New- 
port, situated  at  its  Southern  extremity,  is  scarcely  up- 
held from  decay.  Providence,  lying  at  the  head  of 


JOHN    MELISH.  153 

navigation,  has  attracted  from  it  the  principal  parts  of 
the  enterprise  and  wealth  of  the  state,  and  has  attained 
a  superiority  which,  in  consequence  of  its  insular  situ- 
ation and  distance  from  the  country,  Newport  seems  to 
despair  of  regaining. 

We  returned  from  Newport,  by  the  same  road,  to 
Rowland's  ferry,  which  we  crossed  about  sunset.  This 
ferry  is  near  the  Northerly  end  of  Rhode  Island,  and 
separates  it  from  Tiverton.  Narraganset  Bay  is  in 
this  place  about  a  third  of  a  mile  in  breadth.  The 
relics  of  a  fine  bridge,  twice  carried  away  by  the  rapid- 
ity of  the  current  and  by  worms,  give  a  melancholy 
effect  to  the  prospect. 


1806.     John  Melish. 

John  Melish  (1771-1822)  was  a  Scotchman  who 
came  to  the  United  States  and  travelled  extensively. 
He  published  several  works  descriptive  of  the  country, 
its  resources  and  industries,  and  died  in  Philadelphia. 
The  quotation  given  is  taken  from  his  Travels  in  the 
United  States,  Great  Britain,  and  Canada,  in  1806-' 11, 
pp.  67-71  (London,  reprint,  1818). 

At  6  o'clock  we  reached  Providence,  where  we  saw 
a  good  deal  of  shipping,  and  I  was  surprised  to  find  a 
vessel  there  of  upwards  of  900  tons  burden.  I  was 
informed  that  she  was  in  the  East  India  trade,  of 
which  there  is  a  considerable  share  at  this  port,  and 
that  there  would  be  a  sale  of  India  goods  next  day. 

The  major,  who  had  often  travelled  this  way,  con- 


154  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

ducted  me  to  a  boarding-house,  where  having  engaged 
lodgings,  we  went  out  to  take  a  view  of  the  town,  with 
which  he  was  well  acquainted.  The  ground  rises  to  a 
considerable  elevation  above  the  town,  from  whence  we 
had  a  fine  view ;  and  we  returned  to  our  lodgings  highly 
pleased  with  the  excursions  of  this  day. 

Providence  is  beautifully  situated  on  the  head  of 
Narraganset  bay,  and  is  divided  into  two  parts  by  the 
Providence  river,  over  which  there  is  a  good  bridge, 
with  a  draw  in  it,  to  allow  vessels  to  pass.  The  west 
side  of  the  town  is  low,  but  the  east  side  rises,  by  a 
rapid  ascent,  to  a  considerable  elevation.  The  number 
of  inhabitants,  in  1800,  was  7614,  and  they  are  rapidly 
increasing.*  The  public  buildings  are,  a  court-house, 
market-house,  a  public  school-house,  a  baptist  meeting- 
house, a  quaker  meeting-house,  and  three  congrega- 
tional churches.  There  is  an  extensive  college  situated 
on  the  hill,  and  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  town, 
bay,  shipping  and  country  for  many  miles  round.  The 
building  is  of  brick,  with  a  slated  roof,  150  feet  long, 
46  wide,  and  four  stories  high ;  and  contains  lodgings 
for  upwards  of  100  students.  It  has  a  valuable  phil- 
osophical apparatus,  and  a  library  containing  upwards 
of  3000  volumes. 

Providence  has  a  pretty  extensive  shipping  trade, 
and  several  manufactories  are  established  in  the  town 
and  neighbourhood,  which  are  said  to  be  in  a  thriving 
state. 

The  state  [of  Rhode  Island]  is  divided  into  five  coun- 
ties and  thirty  townships,  and  the  inhabitants  amount 
to  69',122,  including  380  slaves;  being  about  45  to 
the  square  mile. 

The  country  is  well  improved,  abounding  with  towns, 
villages,  and  farm-houses.  The  chief  towns  are  Provi- 
dence and  Newport,  already  mentioned.  The  others 

*By  the  census  of  1810,  they  are  10,071. 


JOHN    MELISH.  155 

are,  South  Kingston,  situated  on  the  west  side  of  Nar- 
raganset  Bay,  nearly  opposite  Newport,  and  contains 
3000  inhabitants.  Bristol  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the 
bay,  about  half  way  between  Providence  and  Newport, 
and  contains  1678  inhabitants.  It  has  a  little  shipping 
trade.  Warren  is  a  flourishing  little  town,  containing 
about  1600  inhabitants.  It  is  on  the  west  side  of  the 
bay,  on  the  Warren  River,  and  carries  on  a  brisk  coast- 
ing and  foreign  trade.  Little  Compton,  Ecist  Greenwich, 
and  Compton,  are  also  growing  towns.  The  state  is 
supplied  with  good  roads  and  bridges,  some  of  which 
have  been  constructed  on  an  ingenious  plan,  and  at 
great  expense.  No  canals  have  yet  been  made,  but 
several  are  projected. 

The  farms  are  generally  well  cultivated,  and  produce 
Indian  corn,  rye,  barley,  oats,  wheat,  (though  not  enough 
for  home  consumption),  fruits  in  great  abundance,  and 
culinary  vegetables.  Butter,  cheese,  and  cyder i  are 
made  in  great  quantities,  and  of  a  superior  quality. 

The  manufactures  are  cotton  and  linen  goods,  bar 
and  sheet  iron,  steel,  nails,  anchors  and  other  iron  work 
for  shipping,  sail-cloth,  paper,  rum,  &c.  The  cotton 
manufacture  is  extending,  and  I  was  informed  that 
some  of  those  engaged  in  it  were  doing  well ;  but  it  is 
yet  in  its  infancy,  and,  being  subject  to  a  competition 
with  the  organized  manufactures  of  Britain,  it  must  be 
attended  with  a  considerable  degree  of  inconvenience, 
and  perhaps  some  risk. 

This  state  is  very  favourably  situated  for  commerce, 
of  which  it  has  a  large  share.  The  exports  are  grain, 
flaxseed,  lumber,  horses,  cattle,  beef,  pork,  fish,  poul- 
try, onions,  butter,  cheese,  spirits,  and  cotton  and  linen 
goods.  The  value  of  exports  is  about  1,000,000  dol- 
lars annually.  The  imports  are  European  and  India 
manufactures,  West  India  produce,  and  logwood. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  country  are  generally  proprie- 
tors of  the  farms  they  cultivate,  and,  having  no  land- 


156  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

lord  to  make  their  bow  to,  nor  rent  to  pay,  they  must  be 
independent.  The  inhabitants  of  the  towns  are  mer- 
chants, manufacturers,  mechanics,  seamen,  and  fisher- 
men. The  lands  are  not  entailed,  and  hence  there  is 
no  aristocracy ;  but  independence  is  easily  attained  by 
labour.  There  is  no  distinction  made  on  account  of 
religious  opinions  ;  but  every  man  worships  God  in  any 
way  his  conscience  dictates,  without  interfering  with 
his  civil  rights.  There  are  several  benevolent  and 
useful  societies  in  the  state,  among  which  may  be  no- 
ticed one  "  for  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade,  and  for 
the  improvement  of  the  African  race."  The  state  of 
education  is  said  to  be  considerably  behind  that  of  the 
other  New  England  states,  but  is  improving.  The  chief 
seminary  is  the  college  afc  Providence,  already  men- 
tioned ;  and  there  is  an  academy  at  Newport,  under 
good  regulations,  besides  various  seminaries  throughout 
the  state. 

The  state  legislature  consists  of  a  governor,  deputy 
governor,  ten  senators,  and  a  representative  from  each 
township.  They  are  chosen  by  the  people  twice  every 
year,  and  they  hold  two  sessions  annually. 


1807.      Edward  Augustus  Kendall. 

Kendall  (1776c-1842)  was  an  Englishman  interested 
in  colonial  enterprises  and  in  colonial  trade.  He 
wrote  on  various  subjects,  and  was  identified  with  the 
cause  of  popular  education  in  England.  In  1807— 7  8 
he  travelled  through  the  northern  parts  of  the  United 
States,  and  in  1809  published  at  New  York  an  account 
of  his  wanderings  in  three  volumes.  The  extract 


EDWARD    AUGUSTUS    KENDALL.  157 

given  here  is  taken  from  his  Travels  through  the  North- 
ern Parts  of  the  United  States,  Vol.  II,  p.  1  et  seq. 
(New  York,  1809). 

Most  of  the  streets  in  Newport  and  Providence  are 
paved.  Those  of  the  latter  lie  both  on  the  east  and 
west  banks  of  the  Wanaspatucket,  which,  after  spread- 
ing itself  into  a  broad  bason  behind  the  village,  where 
it  receives  the  Moshasic,  and  afterward  joins  the 
Patucket,  by  a  narrow  channel.  Over  this  channel  is 
a  bridge,  formerly  called  Weybossett  bridge,  on  ac- 
count of  a  hill  of  that  name,  on  the  east  bank,  and  to 
the  foot  of  which  it  reached.  The  hill  is  now  levelled, 
and  the  common  name  is  the  Great  bridge.  Its  length 
is  a  hundred  and  sixty  feet,  and  its  width  twenty-two. 
There  is  a  very  pleasant  ride,  around  the  bason  of  the 
Wanaspatucket,  in  which,  after  leaving  a  street  which 
runs  to  the  westward,  where  a  large  number  of  new 
buildings  are  now  erecting,  and  beyond  which  is  a 
small-pox  hospital,  the  road  leads  through  woods  and 
meads,  ornamented  with  water,  and  having  the  build- 
ings of  the  village  in  the  background.  That  part  of 
the  village,  which  is  on  the  west  of  the  bridge,  is  called 
Westminster.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  river  are  the 
older  and  more  populous  streets,  and  all  the  principal 
public  buildings. 

In  the  lower  or  main  street  is  a  large  anabaptist 
church,  eighty  feet  square,  with  a  lofty  spire,  and  a 
bell  cast  in  the  town  of  Scituate ;  and  near  this  church 
is  a  large  and  well-built  quaker  meeting-house.  Be- 
sides these,  there  are  three  congregational  churches,  and 
one  church  of  the  church  of  England.  In  the  design 
of  one  of  the  congregational  churches,  built  on  high 
ground  in  the  upper  street,  much  attention  has  been 
paid  to  beauty,  and  the  effect  produced  is  very  pleasing. 


158  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

The  west  end  of  the  cathedral  church  of  Saint  Paul, 
in  the  city  of  London,  is  the  model  on  which  it  is 
formed,  and  from  which  as  much  of  the  pomp  of  archi- 
tecture has  been  imitated,  as  the  small  dimensions  of 
the  copy  may  have  justified. 

The  state-house  is  a  handsome  building,  seventy  feet 
in  length,  by  forty  in  breadth.  In  the  chamber  of  the 
representatives,  as  well  as  that  devoted  to  the  courts  of 
justice,  is  a  large  gallery,  for  the  accommodation  of 
strangers  ;  and  in  the  council-room  is  a  picture  of  Gen- 
eral Washington,  copied,  like  the  others  that  I  have 
mentioned,  by  the  original  painter.  These  pictures, 
with  their  frames,  have  generally  cost  the  governments, 
by  which  they  have  been  purchased,  from  nine  to  twelve 
hundred  dollars  each.  In  the  same  room,  is  a  town  and 
country  library,  supported  by  subscription. 

Upon  ground  still  higher  than  that  on  which  is  the 
church  whose  architecture  I  have  praised,  is  Brown 
University,  formerly  called  Rhode  Island  College,  a 
plain  building,  of  a  brown-coloured  brick,  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  in  front,  forty-six  in  depth  on  each 
wing,  and  sixty-six  in  the  centre.  The  number  of 
chambers  for  students  is  forty-eight,  and  there  are  ten 
large  public  rooms.  At  the  commencement  for  the 
present  year,  there  were  twenty-six  graduates.  The 
expenses  of  education  are  at  least  as  low  at  this  college, 
as  that  of  Connecticut. 

On  the  same  level  with  the  university  are  several 
handsome  private  houses,  as  there  are  also  in  the  low 
grounds,  lying  between  the  village  and  the  Pa  tucket. 

Over  the  Patucket,  on  the  road  to  Rehoboth,  a 
bridge  is  at  present  building ;  meanwhile,  the  com- 
munication is  by  a  rope-ferry. 

The  republic  abounds  in  incorporated  banks,  and 
Providence  alone  has  three.  Two,  in  Warren  and 
Bristol  have  been  mentioned,  and  there  are  two  in 


HENRY    A.    ROWLAND.  159 

Newport ;  there  is  also  one  in  a  town  called  Westerly, 
one  in  Smithfield,  and  one  in  Gloucester. 

Patucket,  a  village  four  miles  to  the  northeast  of 
Providence,  and  seated  on  the  river  whence  it  derives 
its  name,  is  dependent  wholly  on  manufactures.  This 
settlement  has  grown  up  on  the  banks  of  a  cataract, 
called  Patucket  Falls,  aifording  situations  for  very 
numerous  mills.  Here,  in  1760,  according  to  the 
traveller,  whom  I  lately  cited,  there  were  two  or  three 
mills  ;  but  so  long  ago  as  1796,  there  were  three  anchor- 
forges,  one  tan-mill,  one  flower-mill,  one  slitting-mill, 
three  snuff-mills,  one  oil-mill,  one  cotton-manufactury, 
three  fulling-mills,  two  machines  for  cutting  nails,  and 
a  clothier's  works,  in  which  the  shearing  was  performed 
by  water ;  and  the  number  and  extent  of  these  estab- 
lishments are  now  increased. 


1810.     Henry  A.   Rowland. 

Henry  A.  Howland  (1806-1896)  was  a  prominent 
business  man  of  Providence,  and  was  one  of  the  first 
to  advocate  the  cause  of  temperance,  in  the  740s. 
He  took  considerable  interest  in  city  politics,  and  was 
a  member  of  many  of  the  educational  and  business  in- 
stitutions of  Providence.  The  following  extract  is 
taken  from  his  "Reminiscences,"  published  in  the  Nar- 
ragamett  Historical  Register,  VI.  111. 


The  vicinity  of  Weybosset  street  was  the  scene  of 
my  earliest  years.  Butler's  wharf  (now  Hay  street), 
was  on  the  west  side  of  it. 


160  PICTURES   OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

Long  Wharf  (now  Custom  street),  called  so  probably 
because  it  was  the  longest  when  first  built,  as  Butler's 
and  Peck's  were  much  longer  now.  These  wharves  all 
extended  to  the  channel,  the  river  flowing  on  each  side 
of  them  and  to  the  north  side  of  Pine  street.  Access 
from  one  wharf  to  another  was  by  passing  up  and  down 
from  Weybosset  street.  The  wharves  on  the  east  side 
were  separated  in  the  same  way. 

There  was  then  no  South  Water  street  extending 
the  whole  length  of  the  river,  no  Dyer  street  on  the 
West  Side,  no  Pine  street  open  but  little  below  Rich- 
mond street,  Eddy  street  was  only  on  Eddy's  Point 
where  the  main  business  was  ship  building.  The 
largest  ship  yard  was  where  the  steam  cotton  mill  now 
stands.  All  the  area  between  the  Steam  mill,  Rich- 
mond street  and  the  northerly  side  of  Pine  street,  was 
covered  by  the  tide  water  and  to  go  to  Eddy's  Point 
from  Weybosset  bridge,  we  had  to  go  up  to  Richmond 
street  and  down  that  street,  or  take  a  boat  and  sail  to 
the  Point.  All  the  ship  builders  and  others  were  the 
owners  of  boats  and  would  skull  or  row  across  to 
Market  Square  to  get  supplies,  as  that  was  the  only 
market  for  meats  and  country  produce.  Dorrance 
street  was  then  only  from  Weybosset  street  to  the 
river,  its  only  name  that  we  knew  was  Muddy  Dock. 
In  the  centre  of  it  the  tide  flowed  and  a  bridge  was 
over  the  side-walk  with  an  iron  rail  on  each  side  under 
which  the  surface  water  ran  from  the  street. 

Muddy  Dock  did  not  look  in  the  old  days  as  if  it 
would  be  ever  graced  and  flanked  by  a  seven  storied 
hotel  costing  about  a  million  of  dollars,  the  popular 
Opera  House  and  the  handsome  spacious  Masonic 
building.  Where  the  latter  building  stands  there  was 
a  neck  of  land  built  upon  the  shore  on  which  was 
erected  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  (now  the  Central). 
There  was  a  stone  wall  back  of  the  lot  the  whole  width 


HENRY    A.    ROWLAND.  161 

of  it,  against  which  the  tide  flowed.  On  the  side  of  it 
to  about  the  centre  of  what  is  now  Eddy  street,  the  tide 
covered  a  gently  sloping  sandy  shore  where  in  the  then 
pure  river  water,  the  rite  of  baptism  by  immersion  was 
observed.  .  .  . 

In  1810,  there  were  but  few  stores  on  Weybosset 
Broad  or  Westminster  streets.  Broad  ran  to  the  junc- 
tion of  High  and  Pawtuxet  streets.  Pawtuxet  street 
was  the  main  road  to  the  place.  It  -is  now  the  contin- 
uation of  Broad  street. 

All  the  shops  for  dry  goods  were  on  the  west  side  of 
North  Main  street,  which  was  known  as  Cheapside. 
About  1820,  the  first  lower  part  of  a  dwelling  house 
on  Westminster  street  was  altered  for  the  sale  of  dry 
goods,  and  occupied  by  Capt.  William  Russell,'  who 
was  a  favored  dealer  in  that  business  for  many  years. 
Capt.  Russell  was  followed  by  others  in  the  same  busi- 
ness till  old  Cheapside  was  deserted  by  its  noted  trade 
and  name.  Now  spacious  blocks  of  buildings  for 
business  purposes,  take  the  place  of  the  family  resi- 
dences and  the  yearly  rent  would  more  than  purchase 
all  the  estate  in  1810. 

The  family  dwellings,  on  Broad  and  Weybosset 
streets,  have  also  mainly  been  given  up  for  business 
purposes.  Large  blocks  built  of  stone  and  brick  now 
cover  the  sites  of  the  former  homes  and  gardens.  .  .  . 

Where  the  Arcade  now  stands  on  the  west  half  of 
the  south  end,  Benjamin  and  Charles  Dyer  had  a  brick 
building  used  by  them  as  a  drug  and  medicine  store. 
The  east  half  of  the  Arcade  lot  was  a  part  of  the  Butler 
estate,  with  the  family  residence  in  the  rear.  The  house 
was  a  very  common  two-story  building  of  wood  with  a 
large  yard  in  which  one  or  more  cows  were  kept  when 
home  at  night  from  the  pasture,  and  the  spare  milk  was 
sold  to  the  neighbors.  Many  families  owned  cows  then 
which  were  driven  off  to  not  far  distant  pastures  and 
returned  at  night.  .  .  . 


162  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

Whitman's  Block,  at  the  junction  of  WeybOsset  and 
Westminster  streets,  was  a  noted  feature  as  a  building 
in  my  earlier  years.  It  was  one  of  the  great  things  of 
the  day,  and  was  talked  about  all  over  the  town  and 
state  as  the  Arcade  building  was  twenty  or  more  years 
later.  With  the  Turks  Head  on  a  post  as  high  as  a 
lamp  post,  the  junction  became  known  by  that  name 
and  is  still  retained  after  seventy  years  of  its  absence. 

Whitman's  Block  was  used  for  family  tenements  with 
the  exception  of  one  store  at  its  junction. 


1812.     Henry  Cogswell  Knight. 

Mr.  Knight  (c.  1788-1835)  was  born  in  Gloucester, 
Massachusetts,  and  graduated  at  Brown  University  in 
the  class  of  1812.  He  was  ordained  into  the  Episcopal 
Church,  but  was  never  settled  over  any  parish.  He 
published  several  volumes  of  poetry,  a  volume  on  the 
South,  and  two  volumes  of  sermons.  He  was  a  keen 
observer  of  men  and  things,  and  is  quoted  as  saying, 
respecting  his  own  somewhat  vacillating  career,  that  he 
"could  not  find  the  right  branches  of  the  tree  of  knowl- 
edge by  which  to  climb  up."  While  in  college  he  wrote 
a  series  of  eleven  letters  to  the  "  Ehode  Island  Ameri- 
can," which  have  been  collected  and  annotated  by  Mr. 
William  R.  Staples,  of  Providence  (1866). 

The  volume  is  entitled  A  Glance  at  the  Town  of 
Providence  in  1812.  The  quotation  given  is  taken  from 
Chapter  IV.  Of  Signs. 


HENRY    COGSWELL    KNIGHT.  163 

Providence  river  runs  through  the  town  near  enough 
north  and  south  for  my  purpose  ;  and  on  the  east  side 
runs  Main  street  parallel  with  it ;  at  about  twenty, 
thirty,  or  forty  rods  distance  of  gradual  rise  from  the 
water,  runs  Back  street  parallel  with  Main  street. 
These  two,  together  with  Westminster  and  Weybosset 
streets,  which  diverge  westerly  from  the  market,  form 
the  four  cardinal ,  streets  of  this  busy  town.  .  . 
On  the  right  hand  side  of  the  street  [Main  street]  [I 
notice]  the  signs  of  three  leather-workers  almost  con- 
tiguous to  each  other.  The  first  obtrudes  upon  the 
eye  a  saddle,  painted  upon  a  swing  board ;  .  .  . 
The  next  soothes  the  mind  with  a  milk-white  lambkin, 
carved  and  elevated  upon  a  pedestal ;  .  .  .  The 
last  offers  you  a  couchant  reindeer,  with  branching 
antlers  ;  .  .  we  approach  near  the  Baptist  meet- 

ing house ;  —  there  ...  on  the  left  side,  an 
apothecary  has  perched  over  his  door  a  purblind  owl. 
.  .  .  near  the  market  on  cheapside,  you  espy  a  pur- 
ple duster  of  grapes  suspended  over  the  door  of  an 
English  goods  shop.  .  .  .  Glance  .  .  .  across 
the  street  and  there  is  nature  herself — a  lion  pounding  in 
a  mortar.  .  .  .  cross  over  the  bridge,  and  see  what 
there  is  upon  a  pillar  near  the  post-office ;— ah  !  the 
Turk's  Head — as  very  like  the  Grand  Turk,  I  am  told, 
as  is  the  statue  at  India-Point  bridge  like  our  good  old 
Captain  Washington.  .  .  .  Cross  over  into  Wey- 
bosset street  .  .  .  when  now  what  think  you  I 
see  ?  a  neat  little  carved  and  gilded  Rhinoceros,  cruelly 
suspended  by  his  back  before  the  door  of  a  grocer. 

.  .  .  You  observe  near  the  post-office,  whither 
we  have  returned,  a  suspended  hive  of  bees-, — this  is 
also  above  the  door  of  a  grocer. 


164  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

1818.      Henry  Bradshaw  Fearon. 

Fearon  was  a  London  surgeon,  who  was  sent  by 
thirty-nine  English  families  to  the  United  States,  in 
1817,  to  ascertain  what  part  of  this  country,  if  any, 
would  be  suitable  for  their  residence.  He  gave  an 
account  of  his  experiences,  which  Sydney  Smith  pro- 
nounced exaggerated  in  its  views  of  vices  and  preju- 
dices. The  following  extract  is  taken  from  this  Nar- 
rative of  a  journey  of  5000  miles  through  the  Eastern  and 
Western  States  of  America,  2ded.,  pp.  98,  et  seq.  (Lon- 
don, 1818.) 


On  entering  PROVIDENCE,  the  capital  of  Rhode 
Island,  I  was  much  pleased  with  its  beauty.  In  its 
appearance,  it  combined  the  attractions  of  Southampton 
and  Doncaster.  There  are  manufactories  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. On  that  account  I  took  up  my  abode  at 
Chapotan's  Inn  until  the  llth. 

Here  is  an  excellent  market-house,  a  workhouse,  four 
or  five  public  schools,  an  university  with  a  tolerable 
library,  a  public  library,  and  an  hospital.  Several  of 
the  churches  are  very  handsome  ;  they,  as  well  as  many 
private  houses,  are  built  of  wood,  painted  white,  with 
green  Venetian  shutters,  presenting  a  neat  elegance 
very  superior  to  our  smoky  brick  buildings.  I  have 
not  seen  a  town  in  Europe  or  America,  which  bore  the 
appearance  of  general  prosperity  equal  to  Providence. 
Ship  and  house-builders  were  fully  occupied,  as  indeed 
were  all  classes  of  mechanics.  The  residents  are  native 
Americans.  Foreign  emigrants  seem  never  to  think  of 


HENRY    BRADSHAW    FEARON.  165 

New  England.  Rent  and  provisions  are  much  lower 
than  at  New  York. 

At  Pawtucket,  four  miles  from  Providence,  are  13 
cotton  manufactories  ;  six  of  which  are  on  a  large  scale. 
They  are  not  the  property  of  individuals,  but  of  com- 
panies. I  visited  three  of  these.  They  had  excellent 
machinery  ;  not  more  than  one  half  of  which  was  in 
operation.  The  articles  manufactured  are  the  same  as 
described  at  Fishkill  [viz.  the  coarser  cotton  cloths] . 
Children  from  six  to  ten  years  of  age,  of  both  sexes, 
are  paid  6s.  9d.  per  week  ;  ditto,  11  to  16,1  Os.  per 
week  ;  women,  12s.;  men,  27s.  to  31s.  6d.  Very  few 
of  the  latter  are  employed.  Several  of  the  manufacto- 
ries of  this  place  are  situated  on  a  fine  fall  of  water,  50 
feet  in  length,  and  passing  through  several  chasms  in  a 
rock  which  extends  across  the  river.  The  scenic  effect 
of  the  fall  is  most  materially  injured  by  the  situation  of 
Pawtucket  bridge. 

To  a  labouring  man  who  accompanied  me  through 
the  manufactories,  I  gave  half  a  dollar.  I  remarked 
that  he  addressed  men  of  similar  appearance  to  himself 
by  the  titles  of  "major,"  " captain,"  and  "colonel." 
The  population  of  this  village  is  very  trifling,  yet  it 
has  "  TWO  BANKS  ! "  The  persons  employed  at  all  the 
manufactories  combined,  are  not  equal  in  number  to 
those  at  one  of  moderate  size  in  Lancashire.  A  con- 
siderable portion  of  weaving  is  done  by  women,  who 
have  or  live  in  farm-houses.  They  receive  3Jd.  per 
yard  for  £  wide  stout  dark  gingham ;  an  article  which 
is  sold  at  13Jd.  wholesale,  and  15d.  retail.  These 
female  weavers  do  not  in  general  follow  the  occupation 
regularly  ;  it  is  done  during  their  leisure  hours,  and  at 
the  dull  time  of  the  year.  Some,  who  have  no  other 
means  of  support  except  service  (which  is  unpopular  in 
America)  lodge  with  farmers,  and  give  half  the  pro- 
duce of  their  labour  for  their  board  and  lodging. 


166  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

The  Pawtucket  manufacturers  have  shops  or  stores 
in  Providence.  On  their  doors  a  board  is  affixed, 
"  Weaving  given  out."  During  a  conversation  with  a 
proprietor  of  one  of  these  establishments,  a  woman 
came  in,  who,  from  her  independent  (though  not  im- 
pudent) air,  I  supposed  must  be  a  customer.  His  ad- 
dress to  her,  "  I'll  attend  to  you  directly,"  confirmed  my 
opinion.  She  replied,  "  I  want  work,  Boss,  I  guess,  for 
Harriet  Angel."  He  immediately  called  to  his  assist- 
ant, "  Where  is  that  work,  for  Miss  Angel." — What 
would  a  starving  Manchester  weaveress  say  to  this  ?  and 
how  would  Sir  Robert  Peel  feel  if  addressed  in  the  true 
language  of  honest  independence  ? 


1821.      President  Timothy  Dwight. 

Dr.  Dwight  (1752-1817),  who  in  his  day  was  almost 
the  pope  of  Federalist  and  Congregational  New  Eng- 
land, was  president  of  Yale  College  from  1795  to  1817. 
His  administration  marked  an  epoch  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  college.  In  1795  he  began  the  practice  of 
making  long  journeys  throughout  New  England,  and 
of  writing  elaborate  accounts  of  them.  When  his  eyes 
failed,  his  students  of  the  senior  class  asked  permission 
to  supply  their  place,  by  writing  in  turn  from  his  dic- 
tation. Thus  came  into  existence  the  volumes  of  his 
Travels  in  New  England  and  New  York.  The  follow- 
ing passages  are  taken  from  the  New  Haven  edition  of 
1821,  II.  29-35. 

Providence  is  built  on  the  Western  side  of  Pawtucket 
river,  in  two  divisions ;  one  on  the  Eastern,  and  the 


PRESIDENT    TIMOTHY    DWIGHT.  167 

other  on  the  Western  side  of  a  cove,  which  is  an  arm 
of  that  river.  The  site  of  the  Western  division  is  a 
slope,  gradually  rising  from  the  cove  ;  that  of  the  East- 
ern is  the  narrow  base,  and  the  side,  of  a  lofty  hill, 
which  runs  between  the  cove  and  the  river  to  the  point 
of  their  junction.  The  two  principal  streets  on  the 
Eastern  side,  pass,  one  at  the  bottom,  and  the  other  at 
a  little  distance  along  the  side,  of  this  hill,  until  they 
terminate  at  the  river.  The  principal  street  on  the 
Western  side  is  a  part  of  the  great  road  towards  New- 
London  and  Hartford.  Those,  on  the  East,  are  crossed 
by  several  others  nearly  at  right  angles. 

Many  of  the  houses  in  this  town  are  ancient,  and 
ordinary  ;  many  more  are  modern  buildings,  and  would 
be  called  good  houses  in  a  New-England  village ;  al- 
though inferiour  to  a  multitude  of  houses  in  such  vil- 
lages. A  small  number  are  of  a  character  superiour  to 
this ;  and  three  or  four  are  splendid.* 

The  public  buildings  in  Providence,  are  a  College ; 
three  Presbyterian,  one  Episcopalian,  and  two  Baptist 
Churches  :  a  Friends'  meeting-house  ;  a  court-house  ;  a 
gaol ;  a  work-house  ;  and  a  market. 

The  Baptist  church  is  a  very  good  building,  with  an 
uncommonly  handsome  steeple  :  too  high,  however,  for 
the  body  of  the  Church.  Its  situation  is  disadvan- 
tageous :  the  hill,  before  mentioned,  rising  suddenly 
behind  it,  and  making  it  appear  lower  than  it  really  is. 

The  Presbyterian  church  on  High-street  is  located 
with  taste  ;  and,  both  within  and  without,  is  one  of  the 
handsomest  churches  in  New-England.  It  is  fronted 
with  two  towers ;  each  crowned  with  a  well  appearing 
cupola,  f  .  .  .  . 

*  Since  this  was  written,  a  great  number  of  good  houses  have  been 
built  in  Providence,  of  which  a  considerable  proportion  may  be 
justly  styled  elegant.  Two  new  churches,  an  Episcopal,  and  a  Pres- 
byterian, both  honourable  to  the  inhabitants,  have  lately  been  erected. 
Few  towns  in  New-England  have  been  more  improved  in  their 
appearance. 

|  In  the  year  1814,  this  church  was  consumed  by  fire. 


168  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

The  Court-House  is  a  decent  building. 

The  morals  of  Providence  are  probably  superiour  to 
those  of  any  other  town  in  this  State.  The  usual  order 
of  things,  with  respect  to  morality,  seems  here  to  be 
inverted.  In  most  other  States  the  country  is  more 
virtuous  than  the  city.  Here,  a  general,  and  honor- 
able, regard  to  morality,  and  a  general  performance  of 
its  duties,  such  as  is  found  in  other  respectable  towns 
of  this  country,  appears  to  prevail.  Many  years  have 
not  elapsed  since  the^  market,  the  street,  and  the 
wharves,  were  little  less  frequented  on  the  Sabbath, 
than  on  other  days.  You  will  remember,  that  the  Sab- 
bath in  this  state  is  neither  regarded  by  the  laws,  nor 
sanctioned  by  any  general  religious  observance.  We 
saw  a  few  carts  entering  the  town  ;  but  were  informed, 
that  the  number  had  yearly  decreased  for  a  considerable 
time,  and  that  the  inhabitants  were  strongly,  as  well  as 
generally  opposed  to  this  indecent  intrusion. 

The  present  town  of  Providence  contained  in  1790, 
6380  inhabitants  ;  in  1800,  7614,  and,  in  1810, 10,071. 

Providence  is  the  third  town  in  New-England,  in  its 
population  and  commerce,  and  probably  the  first- as  to 
manufactures.  The  inhabitants,  like  those  of  Salem, 
have  been  obliged  to  combat  many  disadvantages,  but 
in  the  end  have  surmounted  them  with  a  spirit  of  in- 
dustry, enterprise,  and  perseverance,  rarely  displayed. 
The  country  around  them,  particularly  in  their  own 
State,  is  generally  so  lean,  as  scarcely  to  supply  its  in- 
habitants with  food.  But  the  merchants  by  their  ac- 
tivity and  prudence  have  engrossed,  to  a  considerable 
extent,  the  custom,  and  produce,  of  the  neighboring 
regions  of  Massachusetts,  and  Connecticut.  They  have, 
also,  engaged  in  several  kinds  of  manufactures  with  a 
spirit,  and  success,  unrivalled  in  this  country. 


DR.    BENJAMIN    WATERHOUSE.  169 

1822.     Dr.  Benjamin  Waterhouse. 

Dr.  Benjamin  Waterhouse  (1754-1846)  was  a 
physician  of  Newport,  who  aided  in  establishing  the 
Medical  School  at  Harvard,  and  then  became  professor 
of  medicine  there.  He  was  also  professor  of  natural 
history  at  Rhode  Island  College  (Brown  University), 
from  1784  to  1801,  and  gave,  in  the  State  House  at 
Providence,  the  first  course  of  lectures  upon  that  science 
in  this  country.  He  was  prominent  in  introducing 
vaccination  into  America.  In  his  political  views  Dr. 
Waterhouse  was  an  enthusiastic  Jeffersonian.  The  fol- 
lowing extract  is  taken  from  a  letter  to  Jefferson,  writ- 
ten at  Newport  in  1822,  and  printed  in  the  Publications 
of  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society,  New  Series,  II. 
177,  178. 


After  thus  boasting  of  our  great  men,  before  the  brag- 
gadocia  spirit  evaporates  entirely,  I  must  speak  of  the 
Island  itself.  I  have  seen  not  a  little  of  other  countries, 
but  I  never  saw  any  Island  that  unites  finer  views, 
rendered  pleasant  by  variety,  of  hill  &  vale,  rocks, 
reefs,  beaches,  Islands  &  perennial  ponds  than  this. 
Until  I  saw  other  parts  of  the  world  I  did  not  suffi- 
ciently appreciate  this.  I  have  always  heard  it  praised 
by  strangers,  and  long  remember  it  the  resort  of  the 
opulent  invalid,  since  I  can  remember  anything,  but  I 
never  duly  estimated  its  beauties  until  this  visit ;  when 
I  have  explored  it  from  shore  to  shore  in  every  direc- 
tion, &  cease  to  wonder  at  its  celebrity.  Before  the 
discovery  of  our  mineral  springs  Rh.  Island  was  in  one 
view  the  Bath  of  the  American  world,  &  the  lumber 


170  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

room  of  the  colonial  faculty.  What  they  could  not 
cure  they  threw  in  a  heap  here.  This  and  the  "  Red- 
wood Library  "  gave  it  both  a  literary  &  a  genteel  air  ; 
and  rendered  it  the  best  bred  society  in  N.  England. 
But — alas  ! — how  changed  ! — The  British  destroyed, 
for  fuel,  about  900  buildings,  to  be  sure  the  poorer 
sort ;  yet  it  has  never  recovered  the  delapidation.  The 
town  of  Providence  has  risen  to  riches  &  elegance  from 
the  ruins  of  this  once  beautiful  spot ;  while  Newport 
resembles  an  old  battered  shield — Its  scars  &  bruises 
are  deep  &  indeliable.  Commerce,  &  all  the  Jews  are 
fled.  The  wharves  are  deserted  &  the  lamp  in  the 
synagogue  is  extinct ;  and  the  people  are  now  so  poor, 
that  there  are  not  more  than  10,  or  a  dozen  people  who 
would  have  the  courage  to  invite  a  stranger  to  his  table. 
General  Dearborn  has  demonstrated  to  me  that  it  never 
can  be  a  safe  naval  station  ;  and  that  it  can  never  be  so 
fortifyed  as  to  resist  a  powerful  attack  by  sea.  They 
must  therefore  stick  to  the  spirit  of  their  ancient  motto 
— In  Domino  speravimus. 


1826.     Anne  Royall. 

Mrs.  Royall  (1769-1854)  was  born  in  Virginia, 
stolen  by  the  Indians  when  a  child,  and  kept  a  captive 
for  fifteen  years.  She  married  a  Captain  Royall.  Sub- 
sequently she  moved  to  Washington,  and  published  a 
small  weekly  paper  called  the  "  Washington  Paul  Pry." 
John  Quincy  Adams  described  her  as  going  about  "  like 
a  virago-errant  in  enchanted  armor,  redeeming  herself 
from  the  cramps  of  indigence  by  the  notoriety  of  her 
eccentricities  and  the  forced  currency  they  gave  to  her 


ANXE    ROY  ALL.  171 

publications."  John  "VV.  Forney  says,  "She  was  the 
terror  of  politicians,  and  especially  of  congressmen.  I 
can  see  her  now  tramping  through  the  halls  of  the  old 
capitol,  umbrella  in  hand,  seizing  upon  every  passer-by 
and  offering  her  book  for  sale."  She  wrote  several 
books  of  travels  in  the  United  States,  and  one  novel. 

The  quotation  given  is  taken  from  her  Sketches  of 
History,  Life,  and  Manners  in  the  United  States,  pp.  368, 
369.  (New  Haven,  1826.) 


Providence  is  a  very  romantic  town,  lying  partly  on 
two  hills  and  partly  on  a  narrow  plain,  about  wide 
enough  for  two  streets.  It  is  divided  by  Providence 
River  (over  which  there  is  a  bridge)  on  both  sides  of 
which,  on  the  margin,  are  the  principal  houses  of  busi- 
ness. On  one  side  of  the  river  the  ascent  is  sudden, 
on  the  other,  it  is  gradual.  It  contains  14  houses  for 
public  worship,  a  college,  a  jail,  a  theatre,  a  market- 
house,  8  banks,  an  alms-house,  part  of  which  is  a  hos- 
pital, and  12,800  inhabitants.  The  churches  are  very 
splendid,  and  the  jail  is  tolerable  ;  but  the  poor-house 
does  not  deserve  the  name,  and  the  hospital  is  a  wretched 
abode,  disgraceful  to  the  town.  I  found  about  half  a 
dozen  prisoners  in  the  jail,  in  all,  some  of  whom  were 
confined  for  debt.  These,  however,  bore  the  marks  of 
humane  treatment.  The  poor-house  is  in  an  old  build- 
ing in  the  most  unwholesome  part  of  the  town.  There 
were  about  twenty  paupers  in  it,  the  dirtiest  set  of 
beings  I  ever  saw.  I  found  five  maniacs  in  the  hos- 
pital, lying  on  straw  upon  the  floor,  which  looked  as 
though  it  had  not  been  swept  or  washed  for  years. 
The  citizens,  however,  are  engaged  in  measures  to  ren- 
der these  establishments  more  comfortable.  Providence 
is  mostly  built  of  wood,  though  there  are  many  fine 


172  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

brick  edifices  in  it.  The  Presbyterian  church  is  orna- 
mented with  a  handsome  dome  and  collonade,  and  is 
one  of  the  finest  buildings  in  the  United  States.  The 
streets  are  wide  and  regular,  and  most  of  them  paved, 
with  handsome  side-walks,  planted  with  trees.  It  is  a 
very  flourishing  beautiful  town,  and  carries  on  an  ex- 
tensive trade  with  the  East  Indies.  They  have,  besides 
this,  a  number  of  coasting  vessels  employed  in  the  cot- 
ton business.  The  town  of  Providence  alone  owns  6 
cotton  factories,  2  woollen  factories,  1 2  jeweller's  shops, 
where  jewelry  is  manufactured  for  exportation.  It  has 
also,  many  iron  foundries,  where  those  iron  looms  for 
the  cotton  factories  are  made ;  likewise  a  bleaching  es- 
tablishment, where  12,000  yards  are  finished  per  day. 
It  employs  60  hands  and  has  a  capital  of  $40,000. 
Rhode-Island  is  the  greatest  manufacturing  state  in  the 
Union,  having,  at  least,  150  cotton  factories,  and  the 
whole  business  of  these  is  done  by  Providence.  Be- 
sides those  articles,  Providence  manufactures  various 
others.  The  citizens  are  mostly  men  of  extensive 
capital.  The  firm  of  Brown  &  Ives  is  among  the  great- 
est in  New  England.  I  made  several  attempts  to  visit 
Brown  University,  but  was  finally  disappointed.  I 
called  several  times  at  the  house  of  the  President,  but 
never  found  him  in.  The  buildings  stand  on  the  high- 
est part  of  the  town,  in  a  beautiful  situation,  but  they 
are  not  extraordinary,  .either  for  size  or  architecture. 
I  saw  but  two  old  brick  buildings,  with  much  of  the 
glass  broken  out  of  the  windows,  and  with  every  ap- 
pearance of  neglect  and  decay ;  and,  worse  than  all 
that,  I  saw  a  specimen  of  the  politeness  of  the  students, 
which  reflects  no  great  honour  upon  the  Institution. 
I  am  told  it  is  well  endowed,  has  a  president  and  10 
professors,  and  averages  150  students.  By  a  rule,  the 
president  and  a  majority  of  the  trustees  must  be  of  the 
Baptist  religion.  This  sect  is  the  prevailing  religion 
of  Providence. 


THOMAS    HAMILTON.  173 

Manners  and  Appearance. — The  citizens  of  Provi- 
dence are  mild,  unassuming,  artless,  and  the  very  milk 
of  human  kindness.  They  are  genteel,  but  not  so  re- 
fined as  the  people  of  Boston.  Most  of  them  are  deeply 
and  closely  engaged  in  business,  and  they  have  not  that 
leisure  to  improve  by  reading,  which  the  Bostonians 
have ;  nor  do  they  travel  so  much  as  the  citizens  of 
Salem.  They  are  an  industrious,  enterprising  people, 
and  have  all  the  hospitality  and  frankness  of  the  New- 
Englanders.  They  are  stout,  fine  looking  men ;  the 
ladies,  particularly,  are  handsome,  and  many  of  them 
highly  accomplished.  Both  sexes  are  remarkable  for 
plainness  [of  speech  ?] ,  and  have  a  very  independent 
carriage. 


1833.     Thomas  Hamilton. 

Thomas  Hamilton  (1789-1842)  was  a  Scotchman, 
and  writer  of  some  literary  ability, — a  younger  brother 
of  Sir  William  Hamilton,  the  metaphysician.  He 
served  as  an  officer  in  the  Peninsular  campaign,  and  in 
New  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia.  For  many  years  he 
was  a  contributor  to  "  Blackwood,"  and  is  served  with  a 
special  personal  compliment  in  the  "Noctes"  (1.89). 
His  novel,  "  Cyril  Thornton  "  had  a  great  reputation 
in  its  day.  His  book  on  America  was  popular,  and 
has  been  translated  into  both  French  and  German. 

The  extract  quoted  is  taken  from  Men  and  Manners 
in  America,  pp.  80-83.  (Philadelphia,  1833.) 

On  reaching  the  hostelry  [at  Providence],  its  ex- 
ternal appearance  was  far  from  captivating.  There 


174  PICTURES    OF    RHODE    ISLAND. 

was  no  sign-board ,  nor  did  the  house  display  any  ex- 
ternal symbol  of  the  hospitality  within.  Below  was  a 
range  of  shops,  and  the  only  approach  was  by  a  narrow 
stair,  which  might  have  passed  for  clean  in  Rome,  but 
would  have  been  considered  dirty  in  England.  On  en- 
tering, I  stood  for  some  time  in  the  passage,  and  though 
I  inquired  at  several  members  of  the  establishment, 
who  brushed  past  me,  whether  I  could  have  accommo- 
dation, no  answer  was  vouchsafed.  At  length,  advanc- 
ing to  the  bar,  I  observed  the  landlord,  who  was  evi- 
dently too  busily  engaged  in  mixing  brandy  and  water 
for  a  party  of  smokers,  to  have  any  attention  to  bestow 
on  a  stranger  like  myself.  .  .  .  during  a  fortunate 
intermission  in  the  demand  for  spirits,  my  inquiries 
were  at  length  attended  to,  and  satisfactorily  answered. 
.  .  .  I  found  that  I  could  be  supplied  with  a  luxury 
I  had  not  ventured  to  anticipate — a  private  parlour, 
communicating  with  a  very  comfortable  bed-room.  .  .  . 
Providence  is  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Rhode 
Island,  and  contains  about  25,000  inhabitants.  It 
stands  at  the  foot  and  on  the  brow  of  a  hill,  which 
commands  a  complete  view  of  the  fine  bay. 
The  college  appears  a  building  of  some  extent,  and  is 
finely  situated  on  the  summit  of  a  neighbouring  height. 
The  roads  were  so  obstructed  by  snow,  as  to  render  the 
ascent  a  matter  of  more  difficulty  than  I  was  in  the 
humour  to  encounter;  and  so  it  was  decreed,  that 
Brown's  College  should  remain  by  me  unvisited.  .  .  . 
The  only  building  which  makes  any  pretension  to  ar- 
chitectural display  is  the  Arcade,  faced  at  either  ex- 
tremity with  an  Ionic  portico.  Judging  by  the  eye, 
the  shaft  of  the  columns  is  in  the  proportion  of  the 
Grecian  Doric,  an  order  beautiful  in  itself,  but  which, 
of  course,  is  utterly  barbarized  by  an  Ionic  entablature. 
I  know  not  any  thing  in  which  the  absence  of  taste  in 
America  is  more  signally  displayed  than  in  their  archi- 


THOMAS    HAMILTON.  175 

lecture.  .  .  .  The  guide-books  declare  that  Provi- 
dence has  a  good  deal  of  foreign  commerce.  It  may 
be  so,  but  in  the  bay  I  could  only  count  two  square- 
rigged  vessels,  and  something  under  a  score  of  sloops 
nd  schooners. 


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